Cyprus (Hansard, 24 November 1992)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)
My Lords, we are working in active support of the efforts being made under the auspices of the United Nations to find a just and viable solution. That should be based on the Secretary-General's "Set of Ideas", endorsed in Security Council Resolution 774, which sets out the framework for a single, bi-communal, bi-zonal, federal republic.

§ Lord Stallard
My Lords, I am grateful for that reply, particularly as the Minister prefaced it by saying that the Government support Resolution 774. The Minister quoted part but may recall the remainder, which states that, the present status quo is not acceptable", and that, a Cyprus settlement must be based on a State of Cyprus with a single sovereignty and international personality and a single citizenship, with its independence and territorial integrity safeguarded, and comprising two politically equal communities". As the Government are guarantors of the independent sovereignty of Cyprus, can the Minister say what plans they have for the implementation of the resolutions?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, the set of ideas endorsed by SCR 774 has been covered in face-to-face discussion. I am glad to say that there are significant areas of common ground even though Mr. Denktash blocked the deal because he wanted three other points resolved. However, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is determined to settle the matter. There will be further work behind the scenes before a meeting begins again in March between both sides.

§ Lord Glenamara
My Lords, does not the noble Baroness agree that a settlement would be much easier to obtain if the Turks, as a gesture of goodwill, withdrew all their forces from Cyprus?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
Yes, my Lords.

§ Lord Tordoff
My Lords, if that were to happen chaos would immediately ensue in Cyprus. Is it not better that the Secretary-General should be allowed to work out his policy in the present circumstances without destabilising the situation even further?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, as it is highly unlikely that Turkish forces will withdraw, the latter course of action is more likely. I remind your Lordships that it is the first time that in indirect talks a full set of ideas has been worked through. As I said earlier, there are significant areas of common ground. We must continue to press those areas, and the United Kingdom will give the fullest support to those talks.
920 Through our active policy with Greece, Turkey and Cyprus we shall do all we can to bring them to a successful conclusion.

§ Lord Richard
My Lords, does not the noble Baroness agree that this is one of those problems that has continued for a long time? Unfortunately, the longer it continues, the more a part of the fabric it becomes and the less easy it is to resolve. Has the Minister considered attempting to activate our partners in the Community on the matter? If so, what reaction was received?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, while I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Richard, that it perhaps becomes a small part of the fabric, the set of ideas developed by the United Nations over the past five years has taken us considerably further down the road. The Government would not favour introducing yet another element into the question. While from time to time there are some differences of opinion within the European Community, I believe that all Community partners have confidence in the UN's work and wish to see a successful resolution of the problem. There is one particularly interested party which makes it difficult to have unanimity on all matters in the EC context. We should leave matters to the United Nations Secretary-General and give him the best help that we can.

§ Lord Stallard
My Lords, will the noble Baroness accept that the problem of settlers is a complexity which is militating against a settlement? Can she give us an idea of how many Turkish settlers are in Cyprus? Can she also say whether that will be one of the topics to be discussed at the meeting which she has just announced?

§ Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
My Lords, I regret that there are no reliable figures available of the number of Turkish settlers. As the noble Lord, Lord Stallard, may remember, the recent independent report before the Council of Europe estimated about 25,000. Some of them were born in Cyprus after 1974. We certainly understand the concern of the Greek Cypriots on this matter. The question needs to he addressed in the context of an overall settlement. We would not favour any further forced movement of populations under any circumstances. We have to proceed along the "Set of Ideas" which must form the basis of any settlement.