http://www.cyprusweekly.com.cy/default.aspx?FrontPageNewsID=304_7
Euro Parliament backs Turkish pull out
From Angelos Marcopoulos, in Strasbourg
MEMBERS of the European Parliament came out massively in
favour
of the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus in a debate this week
ahead
of the November 6 report by the European Commission into Turkey's
membership
bid progress.
The MEPs called for a solution based on Human Rights and Rule
of
Law, and beefed up their condemnation of Turkish violations of freedom of
expression, giving stronger warnings to Turkey that accession was not
guaranteed.
They called for deeper reforms.
"We (the EU Parliament) have a clear position on Cyprus",
replied EU Rapporteur on Turkey, Ria Oomens-Ruijten after the vote in
Strasbourg.
She was referring to the EU Parliament's Resolution which was
adopted with a large majority in Strasbourg, and firmly states that "the
withdrawal of Turkish troops would facilitate the negotiation of a
settlement."
Welcomes
The EU Parliament's resolution on Turkey "regrets that no
substantial progress has been made in reaching a comprehensive settlement
of
the Cyprus question" and reiterates its call on both parties to adopt a
constructive attitude towards a comprehensive settlement within the UN
Framework, based on the principles upon which EU is founded."
It also "welcomes the establishment of an instrument for
financial support to encourage the Economic Developments of the Turkish
Cypriot Community", calling on the (EU) Commission to report specifically
on
the implementation and effectiveness of that instrument.
Oomens-Rujtens said that her next report on Turkey, would
contain more details.
The vice-President of EU Parliament's Socialist Group,
Austrian
MEP Johannes Swoboda, who recently visited Ankara, said: "We shall be more
critical in the 2008 full report."
MEPs strengthened warnings to Turkey that accession is not
guaranteed in advance, but largely depends on the fulfilment of certain
conditions, while also beefing up their condemnation of Turkish State's
blatant violations of freedom of expression.
Opened
An amendment by tabled by French MEP Jacques Toubon referred
to
financial, institutional, political and other parameters which might put
at
risk Turkey's controversial EU bid, if not addressed.
Speaking on behalf of the EuroLeft Group in the EU Parliament,
Cyprus's MEP Kyriakos Triantafyllides, warned Turkey that "for its
accession
process to continue without problems, Turkey must comply with its EU
Obligations, as all other candidate countries did."
EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said negotiations in two
new policy areas could be opened ''in the coming weeks.''
But French Minister for European affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet,
warned earlier in Strasbourg, that France and other EU Countries,
including
Cyprus, would oppose any opening of negotiation chapters during the coming
months.
No more chapters for Turkey until 2008 - French Minister
From Angelos Marcopoulos
in Strasbourg
THE French Minister in charge of EU affairs said this week
that
the Turkey-EU negotiations process has been halted until at least the
beginning of 2008.
No further chapters will open until the beginning of next
year,
said Jean-Pierre Jouyet.
In a reply to The Cyprus Weekly question on the fact that
Turkey
has done nothing on its commitments to allow Cyprus's ships and aircraft
access to Turkish ports and airports, Jouyet, was adamant.
"There must be no more discrimination by Turkey on aircraft or
ships, or on other aspects.
"We must see how (Turkey) deals with the Ankara Protocol".
"For us, Cyprus remains one state, one of the 27 EU Member
States, and must be treated as such. We are very firm on this point," he
stressed.
France will take over the EU Presidency in 2008.
He agreed that the main commitment undertaken by Turkey when
the
EU decided to open negotiations was to stop its discrimination against
Cyprus.
Asked if this situation would be allowed to continue, the
French
minister announced that this was one of the reasons why France, Cyprus and
other EU Countries would be taking measures regarding Turkey during the
coming months, he said: "That's why it's difficult to open any more
chapters
until the end of this year."
Difficult
The French Minister of EU affairs confirmed that France and
Cyprus and other EU countries would not accept, under these conditions,
more
negotiation chapters to be opened with Turkey until the beginning of 2008.
He added: "It's not only France, but also other EU countries,
there is also the Cyprus problem, and a number of chapters have been
already
frozen for that." The upcoming Presidential elections in Cyprus also meant
it would be difficult to open new chapters, he said. In any case, "there
will be no opening of any negotiation Chapter with Turkey from now until
the
end of December."
Commenting EU Parliament's and France's current appraisal of
Turkey, Minister Jouyet, said: "During the recent weeks, two more elements
have been added which are not in favour of Turkey, and do not go in the
right direction :
He pointed to the Turkish reaction to the US Congressional
committee's call to recognise the Armenian genocide and its threats to
invade Northern Iraq.
"The EU Council will determine its position on Turkey at the
December EU Summit, in relation with the EU Commission's Report," the
French
Minister announced. The EU Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, Ria
Oomens-Ruisjten said this week she would deal with the Cyprus issue in her
report to be presnted at the start of 2008:
"There has to be a move by Turkey on Cyprus, I hope so. But
probably after the Elections in Cyprus", she said.
"I intend to deal in more detail about Cyprus, human rights
and
other issues in my Full Report at the beginning of 2008, which will focus
on
the way Turkey will fulfill the conditions that will be set out by the EU
Commission's Annual Progress Report in November," she warned.
Ledra Street plan backed
STRASBOURG reacted favourably to President Papadopoulos's plan
to reopen the Ledra Street crossing under UN control.
The EU Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey Ria Ooomens-Ruijtens,
said "yes. I really hope so," to a Cyprus Weekly question if she thought
it
would be good to realise Papadopoulos's proposal.
CoE Assembly President Rene Van Der Linden said that if anyone
had any objections "they should hear what (former German Chancellor)
Helmut
Kohl just said, here, on Berlin's re-unification."
The CoE's top politician was referring to an emotional speech
given in the EU Parliament by the former German Chancellor, generally
considered as the father of Germany's re-unification.
EU President-in-office, the Portuguese Minister for European
affairs, Manuel Lobo-Antunes, went beyond simple comments, to offer the
EU's
"assistance" to UN in the matter.
"On Cyprus, the UN is the responsible entity for this
problem,"
Antunes agreed.
"If the UN takes the view that this initiative can be a good
one, certainly we should welcome it."
"We should see if and how we can assist the UN, and also help
it
to find a lasting solution.
|
