CYPRUS

Early day motion 21, tabled 6 December 2000 by Andrew Dismore (Labour). Signed by 22 members.

That this House fears that the situation in northern Cyprus is becoming more dangerous, at a time when a solution and accession to the European Union is being discussed; notes that at 2 a.m. on 27th November, the printing works where the newspaper Avrupa is printed, was attacked with Molotov cocktails; notes this follows the arrest last July of the editor Shener Levent, trials of Turkish Cypriot politicians who have had articles published arguing for disengagement of the Turkish army from Turkish Cypriot civilian life and for a federal solution to Cyprus in Europe, and demonstrations and strikes since July about the economic situation in the unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; notes that on 20th November the civilian trials against Izzet Izcan and Ozker Ozgur of the Patriotic Unity Movement, which have been postponed repeatedly since May, were suspended but may be reactivated at any time; notes this follows attacks in the late 1980s on political party offices, and the murder of Kutlu Adaly, a journalist, in 1996; is concerned that events this year in the north of Cyprus, in response to demonstrations, conflict with European ideas of human rights, freedom of speech and democracy and believes that the people who live there feel that their voices and interests are not being heard in the international discussions taking place on the future of the island; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to make urgent representations to Turkey to institute a full independent investigation with international observers of these abuses of human rights and press freedom.

Signatures by party: Labour 19, Labour/Co-operative 2, Liberal Democrat 1.