asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied that all possible and appropriate actions are being taken at United Nations and all other levels in connection with the urgent need for the restoration of democratic and legitimate rule to the Republic of Cyprus.
Written Answers. - Republic of Cyprus.
594.
There is a legitimate government in Cyprus, based in Nicosia, and we regard it as the sole legitimate government of Cyprus. This follows from our longstanding commitment, which I have outlined to this House on several occasions, to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Cyprus, and our rejection of acts by the Turkish Cypriots purporting to set up a separate independent state with the aim of partitioning the island.
The United Nations has played a central role in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem through resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly, the presence of a United Nations peacekeeping force on the island, and through the Mission of Good Offices of the Secretary-General, designed to bring about constructive negotiations between the two communities with the aim of achieving a just and lasting solution to the problems of the island.
In recent months, the Secretary General of the United Nations has continued his efforts to make progress on a process of negotiations involving the two communities. Since last August, three rounds of "proximity talks" (indirect negotiations conducted by the UN Secretary-General), two of which were at high level, have already been completed. A third high level round started yesterday, 26 November, in New York. While I would hesitate to be optimistic about early concrete results from the New York talks it seems clear to me that the Good Offices Mission of the UN Secretary-General currently represents the most realistic way of achieving progress towards a solution of the Cyprus problem.
On Friday last, 23 November, I met the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Mr. Iacovou, in Dublin. In the course of a discussion of a number of topics of mutual interest, he briefed me on the political situation in Cyprus and on his hopes for the third round of high level proximity talks in New York, which he was due to attend. He was well aware of the support which Ireland had demonstrated for efforts to arrive at a just and lasting solution to the problems facing Cyprus; and he expressed his appreciation for our policy in this regard. He stressed the importance he attached to achieving some measure of progress at the New York talks. I assured him of our best wishes.