Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2023 to Question HL7520 on Cyprus: Politics and Government, whether he has had discussions with the leaders of communities in Cyprus on establishing a sustainable, bi-zonal and bi-communal federal political settlement in the period since the recent elections in Greece and Turkey.

The UK Government remains committed to supporting UN efforts to reach a Cyprus Settlement within the UN parameters based on the model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality. We engage with all parties on this. I [Minister Docherty] discussed Settlement with President Christodoulides, Foreign Minister (FM) Kombos and Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar on 10 May. The Foreign Secretary also met FM Kombos on 16 June and discussed Settlement with him. The UK Government believes that, with flexibility, sufficient common ground to start formal negotiations can potentially be found. In the meantime, the UK continues to support confidence-building initiatives to build links between the communities to prepare for any future Settlement.