It is just over one year since I put my first ever question to the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. I asked Theresa May, ahead of Crans Montana, if she would be giving her support to the settlement talks. Sadly just two weeks later, I was asking her about the breakdown in talks – a disappointing outcome for all involved. This was the start of my parliamentary career but little did I know how much would happen in one year that would directly affect Cyprus. After a summer trip to Cyprus to meet with the High Commissioner, Presidential candidates and bicommunal organisations (and a visit to my parents’ villages) I was back in Parliament to my new day job.
The ‘strong and stable’ mantra of the 2017 General Election was a prelude to uncertain times. In Parliament, it’s a Brexit shambles and any deal (or no deal) will have a huge impact on Cyprus/UK relations, on Cypriots living in the UK and on UK citizens living in Cyprus. This continuing Brexistential crisis was briefly trumped (excuse the pun) by a worrying development in April earlier this year. The US, French and UK armed forces launched attacks on Syria from military bases in Cyprus – shamefully, UK MPs were not given a vote before the airstrikes. The tiny island, so often forgotten in global geopolitics, suddenly became the major strategic springboard for aggressive and legally questionable military action in the Middle East. Cyprus became vulnerable to potential retaliation from the Kremlin and was essentially a shield for Western aggression.
Bambos Charalambous speaking to UN police in the buffer zone in Nicosia
While still concerned about Cyprus’ future and the danger of it becoming a new political pawn, I made sure part of my focus remained on helping to rectify some of the mistakes of the past. When I was first elected to public office as a Councillor in Palmers Green ward, I received 1,619 votes – a sharp reminder of the number of missing persons of Cyprus. Justice for the families of the missing persons of Cyprus is one of my main priorities for the Cypriot community. I am working with the Committee for Missing Persons to help track down potential graves of the missing following searches of army field reports from 1974 in the British national archives at Kew.
Constituents have also approached me for help with their personal cases – I have helped a Turkish Cypriot couple to recover damages from the Cyprus Government for land seized in the 1960s and used for the Government’s own purposes. I hope that Turkey will honour any claims for land that has been seized by Turkey and built on.
As the first UK Member of Parliament with fully Cypriot descent, it has been an honour to serve Enfield Southgate for the last year and a privilege to be a champion for Cypriots in the UK. I have renewed hope of resuming reunification talks. Cypriot and Turkish elections may have caused a hiatus, but we must all shift our focus back to those important talks. Our main goal is sustainable peace and respect for everyone’s right to a peaceful, fulfilled and safe life and it has to be achieved together as a united Cyprus.