Anastasiades to have key talks with British PM

British PM Theresa May has been urged by five Conservative Party MPs, who have a strong affiliation with Cyprus. to use Tuesday's meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades “to express support for the resumption of Cyprus talks".

Anastasiades will be received by the UK Prime Minister in Downing Street on Tuesday afternoon and Syria will be another hot topic on agenda when the two meet for talks

He is visiting London to participate in this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Theresa Villiers, Matthew Offord, Sheryll Murray, Sir Roger Gale and Martin Vickers - state that as MPs with a track record of campaigning for a settlement to reunite Cyprus - thanked the Prime Minister “for the support given by the UK Government to recent negotiations that took place in Crans-Montana.”

They note that President Anastasiades has made it clear that he is prepared to resume negotiations at any time.

“It was a matter of grave disappointment that the Crans-Montana process broke up without a settlement having been agreed. We believe that this should not be the end of the attempts to reach a just and lasting agreement to reunify Cyprus.

It appears that the two sides were able to find common ground on a range of matters, with issues of security and guarantees providing the greatest barriers to a settlement.”

Their letter concludes by urging Prime Minister May to call for the resumption of talks between the President of Cyprus and the leader of the Turkish Cypriots with a view to securing a solution to deliver a free and united Cyprus.

During his stay in London, President Anastasiades will meet Prince Charles and the Prime Ministers of Australia, New Zealand, and India.

He will also attend separate dinners hosted by Queen Elizabeth II and Theresa May in honour of the heads of state and government participating in the meeting.