asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 1 October (WA 129), on what basis they believe it is possible to rebuild trust and end division of the island of Cyprus following the Greek Cypriot rejection of the 1994 Annan plan and other previous proposals for a resolution. [HL5311]

We continue to support the UN's efforts to broker a comprehensive and durable settlement to the Cyprus problem. The leaders of the two communities must engage constructively with the UN's efforts to implement the 8 July agreement. As time passes, a settlement becomes increasingly difficult and complicated. Fully-fledged negotiations should therefore start as soon as possible. In parallel to this, we would hope that both sides could agree to confidence-building measures, such as opening the Ledra Street crossing, and engaging in bicommunal activities, which themselves would begin the process of rebuilding trust and ending the division of the island.