Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 604: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is monitoring the situation on the island of Cyprus; the political contacts he is maintaining in the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2341/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The United Nations has the lead role in the search for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. The Government fully supports the leadership of the UN Secretary General in this important work, and we welcome the ongoing efforts of the Secretary General's Special Representative to Cyprus, Mr. Michael Moeller, to bring the two sides together to seek progress toward a political settlement.

On 8 July 2006, the UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs, Dr. Ibrahim Gambari, brokered an agreement between the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, and Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, representing the Turkish Cypriot community, on a set of principles, recognising that the status quo was unacceptable and that a comprehensive settlement was both desirable and possible. They agreed to begin immediately a two-track process involving discussions by committees of issues affecting the day-to-day life of the people and, concurrently, of substantive issues leading to a comprehensive settlement. However, these committees were not subsequently established, due to disagreements on their respective mandates and terms of reference. Following a hiatus, consultations at official level on these issues resumed at the end of January 2007, though so far without any breakthrough.

On 5 September 2007, the Special Representative facilitated a meeting between President Papadopoulos and Mr. Talat, the first such encounter between the two leaders since 2006. While regrettably no substantive progress was made on this occasion, we welcome the reopening of political dialogue which this meeting represented. Both sides have since sent submissions to the UN Secretary General, outlining new proposals to take the process forward. The Secretary General has not formally commented on these proposals as yet. We remain hopeful that this dialogue under the auspices of the UN may yet help to unblock the stalemate in the process.

Ireland takes an active interest in the successful resolution of the Cyprus issue. We maintain close contact with the Cypriot and Turkish Governments through both the Embassies of Cyprus and Turkey in Dublin, and through our Embassies in Nicosia and Ankara. Officials from my Department have also met with the Office of the Secretary-General's Representative to Cyprus, most recently in December, to receive an update on the situation.

We will continue to encourage both sides to renew their commitment to the negotiating process and the achievement of the objective of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal State through an honourable, balanced and durable settlement protecting and guaranteeing the basic interests and aspirations of all. I have made our position clear to successive Cypriot colleagues, and also to Turkish Ministers for Foreign Affairs.