AKEL submits amendments on the Oymen Turkey Progress Report
Statement by Stavri Kalopsidiotou, member of the C.C. of AKEL and Department on the Cyprus problem of the C.C.
Within the framework of the on-going efforts AKEL is undertaking to create those preconditions on an international level too that will function in a supportive way towards the achievement of a viable, just and workable solution of the Cyprus problem based on International Law and the principles upon which the EU is founded, our activity in the European Parliament remains a most important arena of struggle.
As every year, so this year too, with the submission of the draft Report by Dutch EPP member Ria Oomen-Ruijten, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur on Turkey’s pre-accession progress, the relevant Departments of the C.C. of AKEL have made their own detailed and thorough analysis. The study conducted has ascertained, as in the past, that the principal part of the draft text is in line with the logic of keeping balances. Not welcoming this practice, we are seeking the objective improvement and registering of the references made on issues with regards the Cyprus problem. Omissions and vaguenesses that areidentified, particularly in the paragraphs on the Cyprus problem, must be defined. In addition, there should be an updating of the text with respect to the domestic developments taking place in Turkey.
Inter alia, we call for the inclusion of a reference to the 21st September 2005 Statement regarding the serious concerns posed by the public threats issued by Turkey with regards the exercise of the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereign rights in its Exclusive Economic Zone. We believe that it is very important that the need for the leaders of the two communities to agree on a joint communiques that will ensure a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship is reaffirmed in the Report. In addition, we recall in a relevant amendment that the opening of the port of Famgusta as a confidence building measure can proceed through legal actions in parallel with the implementation of Resolution 550 of the United Nations Security Council. Furthermore, we propose the inclusion of a reference denouncing the Turkish colonisation of the occupied areas.
At the same time, for us it is very clear that the proposed opening of chapters 23 (concerning the Judiciary and Fundamental Rights), chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) and the indirect exertion of pressure for the opening of chapter 15 (Energy) is unacceptable and we question why for the second successive year the previous long-standing positions of the Republic of Cyprus on these chapters are being totally ignored.
Therefore, we call on:
1. The Rapporteur to accept our amendments,
2. All the Cypriot Members of the European Parliament to cooperate so that we can achieve an improvement in the existing Report, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representation in Brussels, as was the case up till now.
3. All the MEP’s, should not permit the intrusion of proposals that do not take objective realities, such as Turkey’s responsibilities and its continuing intransigent position on the Cyprus problem, into account.
