An event organised on Tuesday evening at Westminster Palace in London by the ‘United Cyprus Platform of the overseas Cypriot organisations brought together Greek and Turkish Cypriots, as well as British parliamentarians, in order to discuss the recent developments regarding the Cyprus problem.

The Platform is an umbrella of various Greek and Turkish Cypriot organisations that want to contribute to the overriding objective of the reunification of Cyprus, based on a federal state with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship.
The well attended meeting was chaired by the President of Episteme, the Association of British Cypriot Professionals, Peter Droussiotis. In his address Mr Droussiotis said that the ordinary citizens’ and the civic society’s involvement is a vital ingredient of the success of the new reunification effort.

He attributed particular emphasis to the need to highlight the benefits of reunification, inter alia the lasting peace and reconciliation, the real security for all Cypriots in the EU, the economic prosperity as a result of enhanced inward investments and bicommunal development, and the decisive Turkish Cypriot role in the federal state administration.

A number of British MPs and members of the House of Lords who were present contributed to the discussion. Sir Roger Gale of the Conservatives said he was more optimistic than any other time, while Labour’s Sir Gerald Kaufman added that anything can be achieved with good will and good sense.
Andy Love, the Labour and Co-operative MP for Edmonton in north London described how during his visit to the island in early October he found the Cypriot government entirely willing to start the new negotiation process, despite its preoccupation with the country’s economic problems. He added that a similar willingness was expressed within the Turkish Cypriot community and commented that the conditions will become much more promising once specific confidence building measures start getting implemented, with a special reference to the Famagusta proposals.
Sir Alan Meale, the Labour MP, said that the event was “a breath of fresh air”. He focused on the need to convince the European Union that the Cyprus problem settlement would be beneficial for its interests. He also commented that while he is one of those who think that Turkey should become a member of the EU eventually, this cannot happen “until Ankara puts the Cyprus issue right.”

Also present was Baroness Harris of the Liberal Democrats, who pointed to many similarities between the Cyprus and the Northern Ireland cases. Pledging her support for Cypriots who wish for the resolution, she said that what is needed more than a shared identity is a shared future.
Julian Huppert MP from the Liberal Democrats said that all sides should concentrate on making progress, without letting the burden of history weighing down on them, while Labour’s Jim Sheridan commented that neither of the two communities holds “a monopoly in pain”. David Crausby of the same party said he was “incredibly optimistic”, but warned against letting the settlement opportunity slip away because of small details.

The Platform United Cyprus representatives thanked the British parliamentarians and the members of the public for their presence. Hasan Raif, Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Association for Democracy stressed that the talks between leaders are not enough “unless there is pressure from us.” He also referred to his Turkish Cypriot compatriots’ concern that they have started to become “extinct” in their own country due to the settlers from Turkey. “Therefore, we don’t have much time left,” warned the Turkish Cypriot official. Bambos Charalambous, Secretary of AKEL in Great Britain, added that the meeting took place because the members of the two communities wanted to express themselves in one voice, “to declare that they want a bizonal bicommunal federation solution, based on the UN resolutions.”

The meeting also heard from representatives of the two communities in Greece and Turkey, as well as from Greek Cypriot Democratic Party (DIKO) deputy Sofocles Fyttis, who noted the solution should respect human rights and the Turkish Cypriot Republican Party (CTP) ‘member of Parliament’ Armagan Candan. He said that the Turkish Cypriot people gave a strong indication of their support for a federal solution by voting for CTP.

At the end of the discussion the Parliament room where the meeting was taking place erupted in applause for a Turkish Cypriot student in London who said that in her mind “peace in Cyprus cannot be separated from reunification.”