CYPRUS (No. 2)

Early day motion 609, tabled 18 December 2001 by Andrew Dismore (Labour). Signed by 19 members.

That this House welcomes the restart of talks in January towards a comprehensive Cyprus settlement; hopes that they prove successful in taking the whole island into the European Union in 2004; regrets optimism following the meeting of leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on 4th December is not reflected in the treatment of the Turkish Cypriots within their own community; notes the case of Ms Nilgun Orhon, a teacher in Famagusta who was sacked because she wrote an article in Avrupa calling Turkey 'an occupying force in North Cyprus', leading to clashes between teachers and police; notes that teachers who took school students to the Children's Olympics in Greece last summer have been accused of leaving the country illegally; notes that Avrupa newspaper has closed, after bailiffs removed its computers and furniture on 13th December, its journalists were arrested in July 2000 as 'Greek spies' to appear in court in January 2002 and two fire bomb attacks were made on its print works, on 27 November 2000 and 24th May 2001; notes that Volcan, a local newspaper, issued a list of Turkish Cypriots accused of being traitors by UHH; and urges Her Majesty's Government to ensure that Turkish Cypriot voices are head, that Turkey understands that it is in the interests of Turkey, of the two communities on the island, that human rights, freedom of speech and of the press are encouraged and respected in occupied Northern Cyprus.

Signatures by party: Labour 17, Conservative 1, Labour/Co-operative 1.