House president bids farewell to British high commissioner

The UK will continue to support efforts for the resumption of talks to resolve the Cyprus problem, outgoing British high commissioner to Cyprus, Stephen Lillie said during his farewell meeting with House president Annita Demetriou on Monday.

Lillie said the United Kingdom’s policy has been and remains consistent on the Cyprus problem.

He also thanked Demetriou for the excellent cooperation with the House of Representatives during his term of office and expressed satisfaction at the continued strengthening of bilateral relations between UK and Cyprus.

For her part, Demetriou, referring to current developments on the national issue, expressed disappointment at the Turkish Cypriot leader’s rejection of the confidence-building measures proposed by the president.

The Greek Cypriot side’s unwavering goal is the resumption of talks towards the reunification of Cyprus in accordance with international law and the relevant UN security council resolutions, Demetriou said according to a parliament’s announcement.

She noted the excellent cooperation that has developed between the House of Representatives and the UK high commissioner and expressed her thanks for the substantial contribution of the commissioner in further strengthening it during his term of office.

In this context, the house president referred to the very successful visit of Sir Lindsey Hoyle, the first official visit of a UK House of Commons Speaker to Cyprus last February. Demetriou also underlined the existing prospects and opportunities for continuing and further strengthening cooperation between the two countries and their parliaments in areas of common interest.

Lillie was appointed British high commissioner to Cyprus in April 2018. Previously he served Foreign Office director for Asia Pacific and UK ambassador to the Philippines.

The new British high commissioner to Cyprus, Irfan Siddiq, will assume his appointment from August 2022. Siddiq, who has spent 2021 in full-time Greek language training, has previously been posted to Cairo, Baghdad, Washington, Damascus, Baku and Khartoum.