The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Markos Kyprianou had a meeting yesterday in London with the British Foreign Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Mr William Hague. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr Hague conveyed his support for the ongoing efforts under the UN aegis to achieve a settlement of the Cyprus problem “based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality”. The British Foreign Secretary further said he and Mr Kyprianou reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. According to the official website of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr Hague made the following statement to the press: “I am pleased that Foreign Minister Kyprianou and I have had the opportunity to hold a meeting this morning. We had a wide ranging discussion and reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship. I also expressed my support for the UN’s efforts to achieve a settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality. We want to see a settlement agreed and successfully implemented to deliver a stable, prosperous and united Cyprus, operating as a valued partner within the EU, at the earliest opportunity.”

In his statements after the meeting, the Cypriot Foreign Minister noted that they focused on the Cyprus issue and the direct talks aiming to find a solution and the problems encountered and also the views on how things could move forward adding that they agreed “to keep in touch over the coming months”. Mr Kyprianou said that he had the opportunity to highlight the role that the UK can play in relation to Cyprus within the EU and especially within the UN Security Council. ''There is a willingness on the part of the (UK) Foreign Secretary to be positive and constructive,'' Mr Kyprianou added.

Mr Kyprianou also said that they discussed bilateral issues such as the progress in the implementation of the Protocol of Understanding, which provides for consultation between the Foreign Ministers of both countries every six months. He added that relations between the two countries can be further improved and that there is willingness towards that direction.