Current and former UK Shadow Foreign Affairs officials have said that a British government under the Labour Party would consider the Cyprus issue “a priority.”
The pledge was given during a reception organised by the Labour Cypriot Society in Liverpool on Sunday evening, on the sidelines of this year’s conference of the UK major opposition party.
Fabian Hamilton MP, who had been serving as a Shadow Foreign Minister until a few days ago, said he was disappointed that the situation for Cypriot people remains very much the same, with Turkey “continuing to violate the UN resolutions, especially in Varosha.”
He commented that the Conservative UK government “is not acting with a true authority of a guarantor power, if such a thing has any relevance today.”
He then reiterated the Labour Party’s commitment and relationship with the Cypriot people, “intertwined with defending their sovereignty.”
Hamilton noted that “the reunification of Cyprus will never be accomplished until Turkey withdraws its military presence from the north of the island”, and that meaningful talks cannot start as long as this “looming threat of violence” remains.
He also supported the “balanced and fair” speech by President Christodoulides at the UN General Assembly calling for a UN envoy to be appointed for Cyprus.
He said that a Labour government would help bring about the common prosperity that all Cypriots want, while praising the Cypriot Society and party members for continuing to make the case for a bizonal, bicommunal federation solution.
The Foreign Office Shadow Spokesperson Lord Collins conveyed the Shadow Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty’s apologies for missing the reception. He then assured the room of the shadow foreign policy team’s view that for a Labour government Cyprus “would be a priority”, along with the continuing “commitment to the UN resolutions and the peace process.”
Bambos Charalambous MP spoke of the need for UK Cypriot representation in the party. He later said that “the Labour Party has always been committed to a bizonal, bicommunal federation. They want to see the reunification of Cyprus. They support the United Nations efforts to bring about peace talks and what you will see from the new Labour government will be having Cyprus as a priority and help bring people together. We will be more proactive in doing that.”
On behalf of the Labour Cypriot Society Peter Droussiotis said that its mission is to get UK Cypriots to help the Labour Party achieve electoral victory and establish “a constructive and meaningful dialogue” towards the reunification of Cyprus.
He also noted the UK’s historical role and responsibility, and legal obligations towards Cyprus, as well as the strong bilateral ties. “We want those obligations to be honoured and ties to be recognised and strengthened,” noted Droussiotis.
The Labour Cypriot Society was revived in 2022 with its members aiming for a Labour government in the UK and a united, peaceful Cyprus.