British Residents Society, North Cyprus - GOVERNMENT LIAISON DETAIL

GOVERNMENT LIAISON DETAIL

This page last updated 11/04/2007

	Detail
30/01/2006	Letter from BRS to The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Houses of Parliament, London To express both its congratulations on, and appreciation for, his recent visit to the TRNC

Rt. Hon. Mr J. Straw, PC, MP.

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London

SW1A 2AH

30^th January 2006

Dear Mr. Straw,

Re: Your visit to the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus

I am writing on behalf of the British Residents Society – which is the representative body for British expatriates in North Cyprus – to express both its congratulations on, and appreciation for, your recent visit to the TRNC.

There is no doubt from the action of the media here, from the Society’s own contacts in the community and, indeed, within the Government itself, that Turkish Cypriots and the expatriate community alike have welcomed your initiative. It has rekindled a little of the hope and expectation we all had following the referendum in 2004.

The difficulties inherent in making progress to end the isolation of North Cyprus are not underestimated here but your publicly expressed determination to see Britain taking a strong lead to do so has provided much needed encouragement. In the meantime, perhaps you could persuade some of your colleagues in Government and within the European Union to follow your example and beat a path to our door. Should you or any of your colleagues, have the time whenever you may visit North Cyprus, the Society would welcome the opportunity to arrange a forum in which you could meet the expatriate community to both encourage a better understanding of British policy and test opinion towards it.

Once again with many thanks for your actions, I am,

Yours sincerely,

ALAN ALDRIDGE

For and on behalf of the Committee of the British Residents Society

Return to Governmental Liaison Index