Tag: United Kingdom

UK Recognises “The continued effectiveness of the IPC”

20 November, 2025

Politics.co.uk

The United Kingdom has for the first time issued a clear statement acknowledging the role of the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) as an effective legal mechanism for property disputes in Cyprus.

In response to a written question in the House of Lords, the UK Government stated that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) had ruled as recently as June 2025 that the IPC remains a valid domestic remedy, while the UK will continue to monitor its performance.

This development comes at a time when the Greek Cypriot administration continues to label the property issue as “unresolved,” despite nearly two decades of the IPC operating under international law and receiving support from major European institutions.

The UK’s response reinforces that the IPC is recognised and functioning, strengthening the TRNC’s position on property rights and dispute resolution on the island.

President Ersin Tatar Calls for UK Support for Two-State Solution in Cyprus

10 July, 2025

Politics.co.uk

In a wide-ranging interview with Politics.co.uk, President Ersin Tatar emphasised the need for international recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and equal treatment of Turkish Cypriots.

He stated that federal talks have failed and urged the UK to embrace the two-state reality on the island.

Tatar also revealed that he met with former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss direct flights and stronger ties between the UK and TRNC.

The President made clear that Turkish Cypriots will no longer accept second-class treatment.

Cyprus Today Front Page: Call for UK–TRNC Direct Flights Gains National Attention

7 June, 2025

Cyprus Today

The campaign for direct flights between the UK and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) received national press coverage this week as Cyprus Today ran the story on its front page.

The article highlights the Early Day Motion (EDM 63709) tabled by Rt Hon Sammy Wilson MP, describing it as a “historic milestone” and the first positive parliamentary proposal for Turkish Cypriots in nearly 20 years. The motion has already received cross-party attention and support from other MPs.

The EDM calls on the UK Government to permit direct flights to Ercan International Airport, citing the hardship faced by over 300,000 Turkish Cypriots in the UK and thousands of British nationals in the North due to current travel restrictions.

Tim Montgomerie: Chagos Islands Deal Could Jeopardise UK’s Bases in Cyprus

7 June, 2025

Tim Montgomerie, Times Radio

In a recent appearance on Times Radio, political commentator and former Conservative Party adviser Tim Montgomerie discussed the UK’s decision to cede control of the Chagos Islands, drawing a direct link to the future of Britain’s Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus.

Montgomerie emphasised the strategic importance of the British bases on the island, particularly in terms of regional influence and military positioning.

He warned that the legal and diplomatic precedent set by the Chagos decision could place the UK’s presence in Cyprus at risk, especially amid rising tensions and competing claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Greek Cypriot Leader Responds to Direct Flights Motion But Ignores 2004 UK Promise

5 June, 2025

Tom Cleaver, Cyprus Today

Following the tabling of EDM 63709 in the UK Parliament, calling for direct flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides was questioned on the issue in an interview with Cyprus Mail.

His response avoided any mention of the 2004 Annan Plan referendum, where Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly voted Yes to reunification while Greek Cypriots voted No — after which the UK, EU, and international community promised to end Turkish Cypriot isolation through direct trade and travel.

Instead, Christodoulides stated:

“The international community… has repeatedly taken a position on these issues. Especially Britain, which is a guarantor power and a member of the United Nations Security Council.”

The comments come as pressure builds on the UK Government to finally deliver on its commitment to Turkish Cypriots, 20 years after the failed reunification vote.

UK Parliament Bill Calls for Direct Flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

4 June, 2025

Tom Cleaver, Cyprus Mail

Cyprus Mail reports on a landmark bill has been tabled in the UK Parliament by MP Sammy Wilson calling for direct flights to Ercan Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

This marks the first such proposal since 2007 and highlights growing parliamentary support for the rights and recognition of Turkish Cypriots.

The bill urges the UK Government to engage with the TRNC and reconsider outdated restrictions that isolate its people.

The move has been welcomed by campaigners as a major development in the fight for fairness, equality, and practical engagement.

It also reflects an increasing awareness in Westminster of the unjust treatment Turkish Cypriots face.

Lord Balfe Condemns TRNC Isolation as “Outrageous” in UK Parliament

30 May, 2025

MyKibris

MyKibris reports on Lord Balfe’s latest remarks in the UK Parliament, where he described the ongoing embargoes and international isolation of the TRNC as “outrageous” and hypocritical.

Speaking at an event honouring Turkish Cypriot poet Osman Türkay, he highlighted the inconsistency of allowing direct flights to Taiwan but not to Ercan.

His statement is part of a growing wave of British parliamentary voices calling for an end to the unfair treatment of Turkish Cypriots.

The event also reflects increasing momentum in UK–Northern Cyprus engagement, which has gained significant ground under President Ersin Tatar’s leadership.

New Documentary Spotlights Struggle for Turkish Cypriot Football Recognition

30 May, 2025

Mert Ahmet, Cyprus Today

Cyprus Today has featured Offside: The Untold Story of Sports in the TRNC, a new documentary supported by the Freedom and Fairness for Northern Cyprus campaign.

The film explores the deep-rooted political barriers that have kept Turkish Cypriot football in the shadows of international sport, despite its rich history and passionate following.

Through interviews with key figures, including TRNC President Ersin Tatar, KTFF officials, and former international players, the documentary sheds light on the injustice of sporting embargoes and the community’s continued determination to compete on the global stage.

Set for release in early July 2025, the film marks an important cultural milestone in the ongoing fight for recognition and fairness.

TRNC–UK Engagement Reaches New Heights Under President Tatar

28 May, 2025

Türk Ajansı Kıbrıs

Türk Ajansı Kıbrıs (TAK) has reported on the growing momentum behind UK–TRNC relations, noting that 15 Members of the UK Parliament have visited the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since President Ersin Tatar’s election.

These parliamentarians – from the Conservative Party, Labour Party, and Democratic Unionist Party – held high-level meetings and visited key historical sites, including Maraş and the Murataga-Sandallar-Atlilar Memorial.

The visits reflect President Tatar’s strategic push for broader international engagement, with a clear emphasis on securing a two-state solution grounded in sovereign equality.

The growing interest from across the UK political spectrum marks a notable shift in the level of attention and engagement with the TRNC.

Former Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw: A divided Cyprus should never have been allowed into the EU

19 July, 2024

The Rt. Hon. Jack Straw has described Cypriot accession to the European Union as one of his “greatest regrets” from his time in office.

Writing in the Independent to mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish intervention in Cyprus, the former Foreign Secretary, describes how the “legal nonsense” of the terms of Cyprus’ accession to the EU has handed Greek Cypriots “all the cards” when it comes to negotiations on the divided island.

He warns that if the Greek Cypriot side continues its refusal to negotiate in good faith “there is only one way to unblock the impasse.”

It will be for international partners, such as guarantor nations like the UK, and the EU to tell the southern Cypriots that “partition of the island will be on the table, and the enforced isolation of the north will end.”

He highlights that the current stalemate and lack of agreement is due to the intransigence of the Greek Cypriot community which has rejected every negotiated settlement, including the 2004 UN backed Annan proposals. A rejection that led to “outrage” among European ministers.

Mr Straw insists that the EU and its member states “should have postponed Cyprus’s accession and insisted that it would only go ahead once a power-sharing peace settlement for the whole island was in place.” He points to how “this, after all, was part of the original rationale for making Cyprus an accession state.”

Going further, he labels the current position of the EU an “absurdity”. Referring to a declaration from the recently re-elected EU Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, that the EU would “never, ever” accept a two-state solution for the island.

He remarks that “there are plenty of examples, in Europe and beyond, where partitions are the least-worst solution to continuing conflicts.” He goes on to reiterate that “the possibility of partition is the one thing which could, and likely would, prompt the south to compromise, because if not, they would have an entirely separate, internationally recognised, independent state to their north.”

A situation that he acknowledges “is that de facto that’s what we have anyway.”

For him, it is time for change. Mr Straw questions why “innocent people in the north continue to be punished” with international isolation due to the “obduracy” of the Greek Cypriots.

In his mind, “the prize, of a settlement, would have many advantages for the long-term future of the south as well as the north, and should now actively be pursued.”