HC Deb 20 March 2003 vol 401 c877W
Mr. Dismore

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the communique issued by the UN Secretary-General on 11 March concerning the future of its plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. [103260]

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reunification of Cyprus. [103100]

Mr. MacShane

The British Government fully supports the decision of the UN Secretary-General, announced in his press statement of 11 March, to bring to a close the intensive phase of negotiations to secure a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.

We share Mr. Annan's sense of sadness that this opportunity to secure accession to the EU by a reunited island has been missed. Throughout the talks, the UN Secretary-General, his special adviser, Alvaro de Soto, and his team have negotiated skilfully and professionally. But Mr Denktash's refusal to put the UN proposals to a referendum in the north of Cyprus, and his rejection of the idea of implementing a work programme for the next two weeks, aimed at preparing for a referendum before Cyprus signs the Treaty of Accession with the European Union on 16 April, left Mr. Annan with no alternative to the decision he took.

I have placed a copy of Mr Annan's statement in the Library of the House.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions he plans to have with President Papadopoulos of the Republic of Cyprus on restarting discussions towards future negotiations on Cyprus; [103273]

(2) what discussions he plans to have with the Government of Turkey on its future role in discussions regarding Cyprus. [103274]

Mr. MacShane

The UN Secretary-General has said that he remains at the disposal of the parties in Cyprus, should they ask for UN support in re-starting the settlement negotiations on the basis of his proposals of 26 February. We fully support the UN Secretary-General in this approach, and we will be making this clear to all concerned.

Value: US$ 000s
January to June
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Total EU-15 Exports 220,199 542,165 651,532 1,038,550 1,729,640 849,855
France 24,546 85,300 77,837 129,042 591,869 212,556
Italy 5,027 37,580 72,453 242,276 327,336 148,373
Germany 126,571 244,468 300,460 361,895 301,408 203,872
Spain 5,374 14,055 29,085 57,282 92,983 37,832
Belgium 37,339 52,279 88,366 46,750
UK 10,492 42,099 56,899 77,174 87,825 27,846