§ Sir Keith SpeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings have been held by Her Majesty's Government with leading political members of(a) the Greek Cypriot community and (b) the Turkish Cypriot community, over the past five years.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Ministers have held many meetings with leading Cypriots, including Cypriot Ministers, in this period. They meet more Greek Cypriots, reflecting in particular the size of the Greek Cypriot ethnic community in the United Kingdom and our policy on recognition. The purported declaration of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983, placed substantial constraints on ministerial level meetings. Contacts with leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community are maintained chiefly through Her Majesty's high commissioner in Nicosia.