The head of the British All party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Matthew Offord MP, his predecessor David Burrowes MP and the President of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots Andreas Papaevripides have agreed on a course of action to promote the question of Cyprus.

The two north London Conservative MPs and the UK Cypriot official, who met in London last week to review the Group’s work in the past six months, agreed that over the next period, until the major British parties’ annual conferences (to be held in late September – early October), a series of concerted actions will take place for the widest possible promotion of the Cyprus issue. The fact that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and the resumption of talks in Cyprus provides a good basis for such an attempt, the three men agreed.

Matthew Offord and David Burrowes expressed their wish for the return of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants to be kept high on the agenda, as a top priority issue that will bring about an improvement in the climate of the talks and will also give a significant boost to the efforts towards a settlement.

It was also agreed that existing members of the APPG for Cyprus will try to approach more of their colleagues in the British Parliament in order to attract them to the ranks of the Group. To that respect, Papaevripides pledged to call upon all the Cypriot communities around the UK to approach their local MPs with the aim of highlighting the Cyprus issue.

The POMAK President thanked Messrs Offord and Burrowes for their lasting interest in Cyprus.