The House of Lords once again raised Cyprus: a British lord accused the Republic of Cyprus of the failure of negotiations

The issue of a Cyprus settlement was raised again in the UK House of Lords. During a debate on the King’s Speech, Liberal Democrat peer Lord John Sharkey said that the position of the Greek Cypriot side has been the reason for the failure of peace initiatives on the island over the past decades.

In his speech, Lord Sharkey recalled that Cyprus has remained divided for more than 50 years, and that numerous attempts to reunite the island have not produced results. According to him, the most painful moment was the collapse of the negotiations in Crans-Montana about nine years ago, when, as the British politician noted, the Greek Cypriot side walked out of the process at the last moment.

Sharkey stressed that the United Kingdom continues to play an important role in the Cyprus issue as a guarantor power and former colonial power. He also drew attention to the international isolation of the TRNC and the economic restrictions faced by Turkish Cypriots.

Separately, the British lord mentioned TRNC President Tufan Erhürman, quoting his recent statement that it is impossible to find a solution to the Cyprus problem without recognizing the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people.

According to Sharkey, the situation in the Middle East and growing regional tensions have renewed interest in resuming negotiations. He recalled that both UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides had previously called for a return to dialogue.

The lord also referred to the position of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who described achieving a fair and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem as a priority for the European Union.

In conclusion, Sharkey said that current geopolitical changes could create new opportunities to advance the negotiation process and seek a compromise between the sides.