AKEL on the Resolution of the European Parliament on Turkey’s Progress Report

  

 

14 September 2023, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The MEP’s of AKEL abstained on the European Parliament’s Resolution on Turkey’s Progress Report, which includes both correct, but also negative positions on the wide range of issues it addresses.

• The principal reason why AKEL did not support the Resolution is the fact that it reiterates in a placating manner the importance that the EU, NATO and the West as a whole attach to Turkey, characterising it as a “key partner for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean” and an “important ally”, at the same time as Turkey is an occupying power in Cyprus, Syria, Iraq and a destabilising factor in Libya and elsewhere.
• A far as the Cyprus problem is concerned, AKEL worked in the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) and contributed to the inclusion in the Resolution of correct and important references, particularly with regards the basis of its solution, but also to the denunciation of Turkey’s actions in Famagusta and Pyla, as well as its unacceptable demand for a two state solution. Importantly, the European Parliament acknowledges Turkey’s interventions in the internal affairs of the Turkish Cypriot community and calls on Ankara to terminate them, while noting the role of the Republic of Cyprus in facilitating the relationship between the EU and the Turkish Cypriot community. On this point, the DISY Democratic Rally party must explain its position, given that its MEP’s stated that these references were the reason for their abstention. Where does DISY disagree? Does it disagree with the necessity – recognised by the Cypriot government itself – for measures by the Republic of Cyprus towards the Turkish Cypriot community?
• As for Turkey’s accession path, which has been frozen for years, the Resolution calls for its definitive abandonment and the search for a special EU-Turkey relationship, indeed referring to “gifts” to Ankara such as the upgrading of the customs union, visa liberalisation and trade transactions. AKEL points out that everyone should have understood the dangers of such a scenario, given that Ankara would have all the economic, trade and geopolitical benefits without any leverage for any drastic pressure whatsoever to be exerted on it for democratic changes in its internal situation and for the improvement of its relations with its neighbours, which includes the Cyprus problem as well.

It cannot go unnoticed that the other political groups rejected the amendment that was submitted by the Left Group calling on the member states of the Union to stop all arms exports to Turkey. The EPP, the far-right, the Conservatives, the Social Democrats and the Liberals all voted against the demand for an end to the arms trade of EU states with Turkey, confirming that behind the big empty talk we hear about “Cyprus’ European friends” and “the big European families” there are big geopolitical, economic and military interests. The fact that only the Group of the Left supported this demand, which was supported by all the MEP’s from Cyprus and Greece, lends itself for conclusion to be drawn.