Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the principle that all Cypriots should benefit equally from any potential income from oil and gas reserves adjacent to the island of Cyprus; and what is their policy towards the proposals for oil and gas sharing made by EU Member States, including Greece and Italy, and Israel, which may prevent Turkish Cypriots from benefiting equally from such income.

The UK has long recognised the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus to exploit the natural resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone, and we want to see exploration go ahead. We believe Cyprus' hydrocarbons should be developed for the benefit of all Cypriots, and urge all parties to look for ways by which the development of hydrocarbons can support the search for a settlement.