Commonwealth Secretariat

10/22/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/22/2021 04:58

Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Statement on Cyprus 2021

The Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers have issued the following statement on Cyprus:

The Commonwealth member states, having been briefed by the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, reaffirm herewith the status of Varosha as set out in relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, including Resolutions 550 (1984), 789 (1992) and 2587 (2021). We express deep regret regarding unilateral actions that run contrary to previous UNSC resolutions and statements on Varosha and reiterate the call made by the UN Security Council for the immediate reversal of this course of action.

In this regard, we fully support and reiterate the call made by the UN Security Council in its Presidential Statements S/PRST/2021/13 of 23 July 2021 following the announcement in Cyprus by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders and S/PRST/2020/9 of 9 October 2020 following the announcement in Ankara. We underscore the importance of full respect and implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions.

We support the commitment reaffirmed by the UN Security Council to an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement in accordance with the wishes of the Cypriot people and based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in relevant Security Council resolutions.

We recall CHOGM Communiques and reaffirm our full and enduring support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. We reiterate our support for the resumption of negotiations, under the auspices of the UN Secretary General's Good Offices Mission, for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based on the UN Charter and the UN Security Council's Resolutions on Cyprus.

Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Statement on Cyprus 2021 (PDF)