UK Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, attended the annual Conservative Friends of Cyprus reception at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester last night.
The event was hosted by the President of CF Cyprus, Theresa Villiers MP, and attended by HE High Commissioner, Andreas Kakouris, and prominent members of the British Cypriot community including Andre Chris, Doros Partasides, Andreas Papaevripides, and George Hadjipavlis.
In his speech to the gathering, Mr Cleverly reiterated the commitment of the UK Government to resolve this longstanding issue in Cyprus.
He said that he had discussed this during his recent visit to Ankara. He highlighted the close and positive relationship between the UK and Cyprus and thanking the Government of the Republic of Cyprus for their help in the large scale evacuation of UK nationals from Sudan. He also reported positively on a meeting with Cyprus Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos.
In her speech to the gathering, Theresa said: "This reception is always a great opportunity to highlight the hugely positive contribution made by the British Cypriot community in the UK, in business, in culture and media, in the NHS and our public services. British Cypriots have succeeded in all walks of life and I know there is great enthusiasm on all sides for maintaining the closest links between the UK and Cyprus.
This event is also an occasion to celebrate support for Cyprus within the Conservative Party and promote support for the Conservative Party within the Cypriot community.
I want to commend Conservative Friends of Cyprus, especially their committee, for all the work they do for the Conservatives and for the Cyprus cause. We must never let up on the pursuit of a just and balanced solution to deliver a negotiated settlement.
We must never stop campaigning until there is a free and united Cyprus. This is a matter of urgency and should be seen as such by the UN and the international community.
Every day that the issue stays unresolved, more building takes place unlawfully on land in the northern part of Cyprus. Every day it remains unresolved is another when people are denied use of the homes from which they had to flee in 1974. And every day it is unresolved could see further deterioration of cultural and religious heritage.
The island is home to a huge number of churches and monasteries, mosaics, murals and icons stretching back to the earliest days of Christianity. Since the 1974 invasion around 500 churches have been desecrated or badly neglected and. Thousands of priceless icons have been looted.
This is a further tragic consequence of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and provides yet another pressing reason to bring the island back together and end this painful division once and for all."
She concluded with an appeal to British Cypriots to get involved in the elections next year and support her Conservative campaign in Chipping Barnet.
