: My hon. Friend makes an important point. There is the Orams case, which is a serious issue; I met the lawyer involved in that. One of my concerns is that people may well be risking their properties in the UK if they buy property in northern Cyprus that, frankly,...

: My hon. Friend makes an important point. There is the Orams case, which is a serious issue; I met the lawyer involved in that. One of my concerns is that people may well be risking their properties in the UK if they buy property in northern Cyprus that, frankly,...

Does the hon. Gentleman support the call by some Members of the European Parliament for Turkish Cypriot representation in Brussels to be increased to give a stronger voice to their concerns? They are concerned that the very effective lobbying of the Cypriot Government is not being properly heard in Brussels...

Does the hon. Gentleman support the call by some Members of the European Parliament for Turkish Cypriot representation in Brussels to be increased to give a stronger voice to their concerns? They are concerned that the very effective lobbying of the Cypriot Government is not being properly heard in Brussels...

: That has to come as part of an overall political settlement. In theory, there was no reason why Turkish Cypriots should not have stood in the European Parliament elections in the south, although they chose not to do so; indeed, the TRNC authorities put barriers in place to prevent...

: That has to come as part of an overall political settlement. In theory, there was no reason why Turkish Cypriots should not have stood in the European Parliament elections in the south, although they chose not to do so; indeed, the TRNC authorities put barriers in place to prevent...

: The UN should do pretty much what it is doing. It would be premature to launch a major initiative at this stage because we cannot afford the failure of another initiative. It is important that the UN should continue to engage with both communities, try to identify the gaps...

: The UN should do pretty much what it is doing. It would be premature to launch a major initiative at this stage because we cannot afford the failure of another initiative. It is important that the UN should continue to engage with both communities, try to identify the gaps...

I am listening carefully to my hon. Friend's argument. There have been several indications in the press that the United Nations is considering an initiative in Cyprus. What does my hon. Friend think the UN should do to smooth the path to negotiations?

I am listening carefully to my hon. Friend's argument. There have been several indications in the press that the United Nations is considering an initiative in Cyprus. What does my hon. Friend think the UN should do to smooth the path to negotiations?

: We debated the Annan plan at length in July 2004, when I was last able to secure an Adjournment debate on this issue, so I do not want to go over old ground and reopen old wounds. We should look forward. Any future framework for a settlement will have...

: We debated the Annan plan at length in July 2004, when I was last able to secure an Adjournment debate on this issue, so I do not want to go over old ground and reopen old wounds. We should look forward. Any future framework for a settlement will have...

: Many of us are concerned that we seem to be hung up on whether the Annan plan will be central to the process. What does my hon. Friend think?

: Many of us are concerned that we seem to be hung up on whether the Annan plan will be central to the process. What does my hon. Friend think?

: I very much endorse my hon. Friend's comments about the Annan plan and respect for the democratic will of the people of Cyprus. Is not it also important that the US State Department should also recognise that? It is perhaps almost isolated now following its recent reiteration that any...

: I very much endorse my hon. Friend's comments about the Annan plan and respect for the democratic will of the people of Cyprus. Is not it also important that the US State Department should also recognise that? It is perhaps almost isolated now following its recent reiteration that any...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) on securing this important and timely debate. Like many hon. Members in the Chamber, he has great knowledge of and cares deeply about the Cyprus problem. I pay tribute to President Tassos Papadopoulos for his steadfast and consistent stand, on behalf...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) on securing this important and timely debate. Like many hon. Members in the Chamber, he has great knowledge of and cares deeply about the Cyprus problem. I pay tribute to President Tassos Papadopoulos for his steadfast and consistent stand, on behalf...

I accept that the plan was rejected by people on one side of the island, but it was accepted by those on the other side. The situation is a little more complicated than the hon. Gentleman portrays it, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) explained.

I accept that the plan was rejected by people on one side of the island, but it was accepted by those on the other side. The situation is a little more complicated than the hon. Gentleman portrays it, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) explained.

: The hon. Gentleman shows great wisdom. The key problem was that Annan did not provide for the reunification of the island. The division was perpetuated. Tassos Papadopoulos stated that as recently as last week. The hon. Gentleman is right that the Cypriot problem is complicated. There are two sides...

: The hon. Gentleman shows great wisdom. The key problem was that Annan did not provide for the reunification of the island. The division was perpetuated. Tassos Papadopoulos stated that as recently as last week. The hon. Gentleman is right that the Cypriot problem is complicated. There are two sides...

: I am grateful for that intervention, which covers a point I was going to make.

: I am grateful for that intervention, which covers a point I was going to make.

: The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point. There is a balance to be struck, and I took the decision to make it absolutely plain to everyone in this country that what is happening is simply wrong. It is unacceptable to go out and purchase property in the north of...

: The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point. There is a balance to be struck, and I took the decision to make it absolutely plain to everyone in this country that what is happening is simply wrong. It is unacceptable to go out and purchase property in the north of...

This is obviously a very sensitive issue. Does the hon. Gentleman think that the use of intemperate language helps the situation?

This is obviously a very sensitive issue. Does the hon. Gentleman think that the use of intemperate language helps the situation?

I, too, have to declare an interest. I visited Cyprus in early October as a guest of the municipality of Morphou. That is on the register. My hon. Friend has mentioned the building boom. Does he have a view about the purchase by UK citizens of properties in the north...

I, too, have to declare an interest. I visited Cyprus in early October as a guest of the municipality of Morphou. That is on the register. My hon. Friend has mentioned the building boom. Does he have a view about the purchase by UK citizens of properties in the north...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that a very serious problem in northern Cyprus at the moment is the boom in building, much of which must be on land from which Greek Cypriot owners were driven in 1974? That building will make finding a solution much harder.

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that a very serious problem in northern Cyprus at the moment is the boom in building, much of which must be on land from which Greek Cypriot owners were driven in 1974? That building will make finding a solution much harder.

: I have my own theory about that, which I shall come to in my crescendo at the end. The hon. Gentleman raises a valid point. There are two schools of thought. One is that the EU, Cyprus and the UK presidency should have driven a harder bargain with Turkey....

: I have my own theory about that, which I shall come to in my crescendo at the end. The hon. Gentleman raises a valid point. There are two schools of thought. One is that the EU, Cyprus and the UK presidency should have driven a harder bargain with Turkey....

Is there concern about the lack of progress in relation to the pre-negotiations to accession? Now that we have moved on to the accession negotiations stage, the matter could just go into the long grass for many years, and may not reach a speedy conclusion. We all want a sustainable...

Is there concern about the lack of progress in relation to the pre-negotiations to accession? Now that we have moved on to the accession negotiations stage, the matter could just go into the long grass for many years, and may not reach a speedy conclusion. We all want a sustainable...

May I first declare an interest as the Labour vice-chairman of the Friends of Cyprus group? I visited Cyprus from 5 to 9 October. My accommodation and driver for official meetings were provided by the House of Representatives and by the municipality of Morphou. The Conservative vice-chairman of the Friends...

May I first declare an interest as the Labour vice-chairman of the Friends of Cyprus group? I visited Cyprus from 5 to 9 October. My accommodation and driver for official meetings were provided by the House of Representatives and by the municipality of Morphou. The Conservative vice-chairman of the Friends...

: The hon. Lady presages my next remarks. That is an appalling downside of the Annan failure, which has fuelled the building boom on Greek Cypriot land and is the basis of the growth in the Turkish Cypriot economy. Turkish Cypriots recognise that if there is a settlement as far...

: The hon. Lady presages my next remarks. That is an appalling downside of the Annan failure, which has fuelled the building boom on Greek Cypriot land and is the basis of the growth in the Turkish Cypriot economy. Turkish Cypriots recognise that if there is a settlement as far...