BRITISH UPPER HOUSE CRITICIZES THE EU ABOUT TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP

Sabah, Turkey
Dec 5 2006

Eight members of the British Upper House have published an open
letter in the Daily Telegraph Newspaper with the headline ‘An Insult
to Turkey.’ Criticizing the EU in a harsh tone, the Lords said ‘the
partial suspension of Turkey’s accession to membership in the European
Union is insulting to the Turkish people.

Eight members of the British Upper House have publicly criticized
the EU in a harsh tone. The Lords have collectively said "the partial
suspension of Turkey’s accession to membership of the European Union
is insulting to the Turkish people." The Lords claimed that Turkey,
a secular state and significant member of NATO, is now being driven
away from Europe and towards Islamic fundamentalism.’

The letter was published in the Daily Telegraph’s "letters" section
under the headline ‘An insult to Turkey’, and signed by Lord Ahmed,
Lord Harrison, Lord Kilclooney, Lady Knight of Collingtree, Lord
Maginnis of Drumglass, Lord Monson, Lord Rogan and Lady Butterworth

Lords wrote: "This EU decision will be seen to have been a monumental
error. The pretext of Cyprus is unacceptable. The EU failed to honor
its promises to the Turkish Cypriots that their isolation would end
if they voted for the UN proposals for a settlement in Cyprus. In
contrast, the EU rewarded the Greek Cypriots with full membership of
the EU after they voted against the UN plans. As a member of the EU,
Greek Cyprus (encouraged by Austria and France, which makes freedom
of speech on the Armenian issue a criminal offence) now exercises a
veto against Turkish membership of the EU. Of course Turkey, if it
were to become an EU member, will have to recognize Cyprus: not the
present Greek Cypriot state in southern Cyprus, but an agreed Cyprus
by Greek and Turkish Cypriots for the whole island. It is unfair and
unreasonable for the EU to demand access to Turkish ports for Greek
Cypriots and at the same time to continue to deny access to EU ports
for Turkish Cypriots. The Government must now unilaterally agree to
direct access to Britain for transport to northern Cyprus."