UK Cypriots hit back at ex British secretary’s comments

The national federation of UK Cypriots hit back at an article penned by former British foreign secretary Jack Straw in support of a two-state solution for the island.

The federation dismissed the article, published in Politico magazine on Thursday as “lacking in substance and disregarding historical reality, international law and UK treaty obligations to Cyprus.”

Among other statements, Straw, who served his post between 2001 and 2006 said the UK, as a guarantor power of Cyprus, should “break the spell of Cyprus, put the two-state solution on the table, and seek to persuade other partners that it is the best way to unfreeze this conflict”.

“There are plenty of examples where splitting states was the least worst option available. Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved into two states in 1993. In the Balkans, the dissolution of Yugoslavia was anything but peaceful, yet most of the new republics have a better future ahead of them now than they ever did when they were in a single nation,” Straw argued.

In addition, he said Cyprus should never have been allowed to join the European Union and accused Greek Cypriot negotiators of “serious duplicity” during the Republic’s application process.

The UK Cypriots organisation in a hard-hitting response, said Straw had once again, “demonstrated that he remains frozen in time” noting that his suggestions would render the Republic hostage to Turkey, a country that illegally occupies one third of its territory.

The response statement adds that the veteran Labour politician’s article did not come as a surprise due to the well-known close links that Straw holds with Turkey.

These included his having registered over £27,000 from financial interests relating to Turkey in his final years as an MP, according to the federation.

“It is worth noting that Straw’s political career ended with a cash for access scandal” [for which he was cleared by the parliamentary commissioner for standards], “but Ofcom [the UK’s communications regulator] said in their view he did seek to exploit ‘experience and connections…for [his] own financial interests’” the federation said.

“Clearly, anything he says regarding Turkey, or Cyprus, is not from the perspective of an impartial observer. Thankfully today, he represents nobody other than himself and those whose interests he seeks to promote,” the UK Cypriots’ association concluded.