Asked by: Lord Sharkey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions on the intervention by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in the construction of the road from Pile/Pyla to Yigitler/Arsos in Northern Cyprus they have had with (1) the United Nations, (2) the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, (3) the government of the Republic of Cyprus, (4) the government of Türkiye, and (5) the Turkish Cypriot authorities in Northern Cyprus; and what assessment they have made of this intervention.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has engaged with all parties referenced about recent events in the UN Buffer Zone to encourage de-escalation and support a diplomatic resolution. This included Ministerial-level engagement with counterparts in the Republic of Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. On 21 August, the UN Security Council issued a Press Statement that condemned the assaults on UN Peacekeepers, expressed concern at the unauthorised construction of the road and reiterated Council support for the United Nations' Peacekeeping mandate. The UK, US and French Embassies in Nicosia issued a similar statement. We have welcomed the subsequent de-escalation, but note that the injuries sustained by three British UN peacekeepers undermines the UN's ability to fulfil its peacekeeping mandate. It is also a reminder that our armed forces regularly put themselves in harm's way to support peace and stability across the globe.
Asked by: Lord Sharkey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have held discussions with officials in Northern Cyprus concerning security arrangements at Ercan International Airport; if so, what were the (1) objectives, and (2) outcomes, of those discussions; and if they have not held such discussions, why not.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has not discussed security arrangements at Ercan with officials in the northern part of Cyprus. The Republic of Cyprus has not designated Ercan as an airport under the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. The Court of Appeal has ruled that direct flights from Ercan to the UK therefore cannot take place. Flights from Ercan to the UK land first in Turkey where passengers, their baggage, and any cargo are screened before the aircraft continues on to the UK.