CYPRUS

Early day motion 399A2, tabled 26 November 2001 by Frank Cook (Labour). Signed by 1 member.

leave out from 'House' to end and add 'regrets the rejection by the Greek Cypriot leadership of the offer of direct talks made by the Turkish Cypriots; fears that the Greek Cypriots will not talk seriously as long as the EU offers them the prospect of membership of the Union without a settlement and so long as the UN treats the Greek Cypriots Administration as if they were the government of Cyprus; notes that there have been genocidal attacks upon Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriots in furtherance of a policy of annexation to Greece and that Turkish Cypriots are still the targets of an economic embargo designed to isolate them; would welcome a new partnership between two politically equal parties as proposed by President Denktas, but considers that as the terms of EU accession must be consistent with settlement, Cyprus must not enter the EU until such settlement is reached; considers that as Cyprus is the home of the Turkish Cypriots as well as the Greek Cypriots, it would be wrong for the EU to allow one to take the island into the EU without the consent of the other; is concerned that premature entry of Cyprus into the EU would be contrary to the 1960 treaties and would wreck Europe's relations with Turkey, a country of 65 million people of enormous strategic and commercial importance; and calls upon HM Government to persuade Greece that its threat to veto enlargement unless Cyprus enters is wholly unacceptable.'.

Signatures by party: Labour 1.