King’s Speech

Lord Sharkey Excerpts

Thursday 21st May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sharkey (LD)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as sometime chair and vice-chair of the APPG for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. I have raised the division of Cyprus many times in your Lordships’ House, and I put on record my gratitude for the immense effort made by the FCDO in trying to facilitate a long-term solution to the problem. Our colonial past on the island and our status as a guarantor power have meant real involvement, particularly in the run-up to the Crans-Montana negotiations, now nine years ago. It is a matter of huge regret that these negotiations failed at the very last moment, when the Greek Cypriot negotiators abandoned the process.

Cyprus has been divided for over 50 years, and in this half century there have been repeated attempts to reunite. All these attempts have failed, and in each case the Greek Cypriot south was the proximate cause of these failures. The current position is that the north of the island, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, is a de facto state, recognised only by Turkey and supported by Turkey both economically and militarily. Northern Cyprus is isolated and under embargo.

In 2017, after the last-minute failure of the Crans-Montana negotiations, the then-incoming TRNC President took the quite understandable view that more negotiation would be a waste of time unless there were to be formal recognition of the TRNC as a separate state. Unsurprisingly, this has resulted—or had resulted until recently—in no significant progress. But there has been no shortage of warnings that the situation was delicate and the tensions were increasing. This was before war broke out in the Middle East, and war has made these tensions on the island very much more intense. But despite, or possibly because of, these heightened tensions, there now appear to be faint signs of a restored appetite for negotiations to resume.

The Republic of Cyprus President has indicated that discussions between the UN Secretary-General and the Turkish President could lead to a new peace plan and has urged the resumption of negotiations. The UN Secretary-General has also indicated a desire for an effort to restart reunification talks. Clearly, the record of 50 years of failure to reach an agreed settlement carries some harsh lessons about good faith and the inevitability of serious and probably unpalatable compromises. The Minister will know that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has newly elected a leader, Tufan Erhürman. On 28 April last, Mr Erhürman said:

“The question that needs to be asked is this: is there anyone who truly believes that a solution on this island can be reached by ignoring the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people? … As to our position? Guided by the will of our people for a solution, we are here — resolute and determined — with patience, composure, and a serious sense of purpose”.


For many decades, the people of Northern Cyprus have lived unrecognised, disadvantaged and embargoed, deprived of access to international capital and now facing wars in the region and the likely consequences of those wars. The division of the island was not the fault of the people on the island; they are not to blame, but they have been isolated, as a consequence, for 50 years with the inevitable economic consequences. It may be that changes to the geopolitics of the region, the shifting of alliances and the arrival of newly elected politicians present an opportunity for progress.

This is what Ursula von der Leyen had to say about the situation, speaking on 7 January this year:

“For the European Union, a comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement for Cyprus remains an absolute priority”.


I ask the Minister if he will make the same commitment. As I am sure he knows, there is significant sympathy and relevant expertise in this House on the subject of Cyprus, and I ask him to meet me and other colleagues to discuss how we may contribute.