British Minister for Europe to visit Cyprus

British Minister for Europe Jim Murphy will visit Cyprus in the near future, a Foreign Office spokesman told CNA.

Murphy had stated during a gathering on Cyprus organized on the sidelines of the Labour Party conference in Manchester on Sunday that he intends to visit Cyprus.

In his speech, Murphy had stressed the significance of the negations for a Cyprus settlement, noting “it is the best opportunity for a solution to the Cyprus issue”.

Talks, which began earlier this month between President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, aim at reuniting Cyprus, divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

The gathering was organized by London branches of AKEL and Socialist EDEK, the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood and the Cyprus Association for the Labour Party. It was attended by members of the House of Parliament and Labour Party officials.

The gathering was addressed by Haris Sofoklides, President of the Greek Cypriot Brotherhood and Peter Droushiotis, President of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK. Both, Sofoklides and Droushiotis, briefed participants on the recent developments in Cyprus, focusing on the direct talks underway between President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, stressing the need for the UK to respond to its obligations and as a guarantor power to exert influence on Ankara for a positive role in the negotiations.