UK govt ‘strongly opposes any destabilising actions’ in Cyprus
THE issue of Cyprus has once again been raised in the British House of Commons. During a recent debate on UK foreign policy, Conservative MP Theresa Villiers asked the government what recent steps it has taken to “support a negotiated settlement to reunite Cyprus”.
Graham Stuart, who was then Europe Minister, replied that “we are determined to find a negotiated settlement for the island, which is why I met Cypriot Foreign Minister Kasoulides in my first week in office to set out the UK’s commitment to finding a
just and lasting settlement”.
Ms Villiers then asked a follow-up question, asking if Mr Stuart will “condemn the actions of the Turkish authorities in reopening parts of the beachfront town of Famagusta as this is causing great distress to the Greek Cypriots who were driven from those homes 48 years ago and have never been able to return”, adding that “such provocative actions make it harder to achieve a negotiated settlement”.
Mr Stuart said that Ms Villiers was “absolutely right”, though appeared to slightly misunderstand the latest developments, saying that “the fact that the
suburb of Varosha within Famagusta is being fenced off underlines the importance of reaching a comprehensive Cyprus settlement”, despite the fact that the latest developments are seeing the very opposite of “fencing off” taking place.
Mr Stuart concluded his statement by saying that “the UK strongly opposes any destabilising actions” and that “we support the UN Security Council resolutions covering Varosha, the latest of which calls for the immediate reversal of the Turkish course of action and of all steps taken on Varosha since October 2020”.