PEACE NEGOTIATIONS IN CYPRUS

Early day motion 381, tabled 7 September 2015 by Catherine West (Labour). Signed by 25 members.

That this House welcomes the positive atmosphere in the talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, the negotiators, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Ozdil Nami and the confidence building measures that are taking place, such as visits, plays and other events involving many Cypriots attended by both leaders; values the contribution made by Turkish Cypriots, in making Mustafa Akinci their leader in April 2015, to the positive attitudes expressed by Greek Cypriots in the recent University of Cyprus survey; acknowledges the remarkable work undertaken by the Committee for Missing Persons in identifying and returning remains of the missing to their relatives and by the Cultural Heritage Technical committee in renovating the Othello tower, mosques and churches; congratulates the Special Adviser of the United Nations Secretary General, Espen Barth Eide, for his meetings throughout Cyprus and for the setting up of the Gender Equality Technical Committee; hopes that this progress will not be interrupted by events in the Middle East or Turkey's elections on 1 November 2015; and calls on the Government to engage in any way possible, within the UN Security Council and the EU, to give positive support to a peaceful settlement to reunite the island and to form the basis of sustainable relationships between Cypriots themselves, Turkey, the European Union and the region as a whole.

Signatures by party: Labour 15, Labour/Co-operative 3, Conservative 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, DUP 1, Liberal Democrat 1, Scottish National Party 1.