The first annual review of the UK-Cyprus Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place on Thursday, 14 December at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nicosia, chaired by the Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Kyriacos Kouros, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Director General for Europe, Peter Wilson.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides discussed progress under the specified MoU policy areas that would further strengthen the ties between the UK and Cyprus in support of their shared objectives and in addressing urgent global challenges. The Ministry noted that Kouros and Wilson "also identified future initiatives to build on our close and historic relations, and joint ambition to work even closer in the pursuit of new opportunities on the basis of mutual respect".

"The UK and Cyprus reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together for a just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem within the UN parameters, as prescribed in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions", notes the announcement," it added.

The two countries are working together in the fields of foreign and regional policy, defence and security, trade and prosperity, maritime affairs, as well as education, culture, science and innovation, among others, it is also noted.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.