Zaman, Turkey
Sept 28 2005
EP: Negotiations may Halt if Turkey does not Recognize Greek Cypriots
By Emre Demir
The European Parliament (EP) demanded Turkey recognize South Cyprus
as soon as possible in a draft resolution issued on Tuesday.
EP publicized its “common solution proposal” resolution draft that
will be voted on Wednesday.
Negotiations can be halted, the draft underlines, if Turkey does not
recognize South Cyprus and describes Ankara’s withdrawal of troops
from the island as a “necessity.”
MEPs called Turkey to once again adopt a constructive attitude within
the framework of the Annan plan as they invited the European Council
to lift the sanctions on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC).
The draft was approved by The Group of the European People’s Party
(Christian Democrats) and European Democrats in the European
Parliament (EPP/ED), Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES),
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), Greens,
European United Left and Nordic Left (GUE-NGL), and Union for a
Europe of Nations (UEN).
The draft demands Turkey to recognize Cypriot Greek Administration as
the sole representative of the island so that relations can be
stabilized.
When Turkey issued a declaration following the signature of the
Supplementary Protocol on July 29 and underlined not to recognize the
Greek administration in the island, the course of events followed a
rocky turn.
Turkey ‘s declaration would not settle the problems, noted in the
draft. “EP parliamentarians call Turkey and Turkish authorities to
carry on the constructive conduct so that the Cyprus problem receives
a permanent solution within the framework of the Annan plan.”
The resolution draft also stressed Turkey should lift the ban applied
on Greek Cypriot ships and planes.
MEPs called the European Council to make efforts in the direction of
lifting isolation on the TRNC and finding a consensus on the subject
aid packages.
Turkey has fulfilled all the conditions required to begin the
negotiations on October 3, the draft acknowledges, but criticizes
Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk’s prosecution for his statements on the
Armenian “genocide.”
The negotiation process will be open-ended the document wrote.
Ankara’s adaptation efforts to the acquis communautaire should not be
hindered by the decision about the permanent restrictions on Turkish
workers entering the free circulation, which was examined in the 2004
summit.
The Supplementary Protocol envisages the extension of the scope of
the Customs Union to the new members of the EU will be voted in the
European Union (EU) joint meeting to be held on Wednesday in the EP
general assembly.
EP deputies will discuss the report on Turkey. British Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw will attend the meeting in the name of the
European Council. EP President Josep Borrell said on Tuesday the EP
would take an historical decision about Turkey.