Turkey’s Obligation

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin’s exclusive statements to The Cyprus Weekly may be an indication that France would like to play a more active role in resolving the issue of Cyprus.

Turkey must comply with its Cyprus obligations, says French PM

By Angelos Marcopoulos

Turkey has no option but to meet its obligation in connection with Cyprus and respect human rights it was stressed by French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and other senior European leaders in exclusive statements to The Cyprus Weekly during a series of political gatherings here.

``This year we shall see how Turkey deals with its obligations,’’ de Villepin said. ``The new year must be an active and useful one because France, and Europe, have to defend their values on human rights and peace in the world,’’ he added.

The French leader was replying to a question whether Turkey would be convinced to meet its own obligations to the EU in the coming year following the fact that the EU, and Cyprus, met all their obligations to it in 2005.

The question referred of course, to the repeated statements from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior Turkish leaders that Turkey will not apply the EU protocol demanding the opening of Turkish sea and air ports to Cypriot ships and aircraft.

Villepin’s position was made more specific in a subsequent statement to The Cyprus Weekly by the French Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei.

"They (Turkey) undertook commitments and they should respect them...In 2006 there will be a series of (EU) rendez-vous with Turkey on Cyprus,’’ he said.

It was significant that Villepin’s statement came shortly after the European Court of Human Rights issued a series of judgements condemning Turkey for gross violations of human rights, including murders, disappearances, torture, oppression of free speech, etc., which revealed that Ankara continues to show contempt to a CoE’s ministers’ resolution which vainly asks Turkey to cease tolerating grave crimes committed by its security forces.

De Villepin’s stance was fully backed by Rene van der Linden, the Dutch President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for European Affairs.

"I hope that all involved will be wise enough to stick to agreements and meet all revelant expectations,’’ van der Linden told The Cyprus Weekly in response to a question dealing with Erdogan’s statement.

"They (Turkey) certainly "Have to apply’’ the extension of Custom Union to Cyprus was Colonna’s comment.

UN Resolutions must be fully implemented - Chirac

In another important statement for Cyprus this week French President Jacques Chirac said that all UN resolutions must be fully implemented.

Calling for a "new start’’ and the "relaunch of a political Europe, in a multipolar world", Chirac said that "France is determined to act more strongly than ever in order to find solutions to many conflicts".

This should be done "with due respect to law, and the law is not a variable geometry,’’ he said, stressing that "all UN Security Council resolutions must be fully implemented.’’

Giving further backing to Chirac’s words French Foreign Minister Douste Blazy stated that ``France’s ambition in 2006 is for the EU to play a political role in all efforts to settle conflicts.’’

Strained Relations?

Anyone reading the Cypriot press lately is undoubtedly aware that there has been controversy and strained relations between Britain and the Cypriot government. In fact, relations between the two governments have been cool since the introduction of the Annan plan. More recently, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw planned a fence-mending visit to Cyprus this month but the trip is now unlikely to occur due to another dispute...this one involving Mr. Straw's meeting with Mr. Talat. The government of RoC is seeking a neutral venue for the meeting instead of the one planned in the Presidential offices of the secessionist entity, worried the meeting itself would give political credence to the breakaway state. While relations with Blair’s government have not been smooth...voices of support have been heard from members of the UK parliament, particularly from the conservatives. Two articles in the Cypriot press mentioning two British MPs...the first article talks about Conservative MP Roger Gale speaking at the House of Commons on property matters in occupied North.

British MP condemns Cherie Blair’s involvement in property case
11/01/2006

British MP Roger Gale (Conservative for North Thanet) has condemned the involvement of the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Blair, in a property case relating to occupied Cyprus. Speaking at the House of Commons on Monday, following receipt of an answer by Minister Douglas Alexander to a written parliamentary question, Mr Gale said the Downing Street position seemed inconsistent with the Foreign Office position with regard to property matters in occupied Cyprus. He then explained that it was “not good enough for the Prime Minister’s wife, acting in any ‘professional’ capacity, to defend the interests of those exploiting stolen and occupied property in the northern part of the island of Cyprus” while the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was declaring that the British Government warned British citizens of the risks of purchasing property there. Mr Gale also noted that Cherie Blair’s involvement in a case “allegedly funded by a former North London Turkish Cypriot Labour Councillor and seeking to defend the interests of British nationals who claim to ‘own’ a villa built on land belonging to a Greek Cypriot refugee, is clearly designed to bestow legitimacy upon an illegal regime and upon the illegal development of the villas that are now smothering the northern part of the island”. “Once again it would seem that venal self-interest is taking precedence over the legitimate rights of those who have had their properties illicitly taken from them”, the British MP concluded.

The Financial Mirror today is mentioning conservative MP Theresa Villiers of Barnet who on Tuesday had sharply questioned Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. Here are extracts of that debate in the House of Commons.

Mrs. Theresa Villiers: If he will make a statement on progress towards a settlement which will reunite Cyprus.

Mr. Jack Straw: As the UN Secretary-General noted in his report of last December, progress toward a solution on Cyprus has been negligible at best. We believe that a comprehensive solution can only be achieved under United Nations auspices, but the UN reported a widening gap and little confidence between the two communities over the past year. Ultimately, both communities have to demonstrate the courage and flexibility required to resume negotiations towards a comprehensive settlement, and we shall play our part in that.

Mrs. Theresa Villiers: There is a development boom in northern Cyprus, much of which is taking place on land that its owners fled from, as refugees, after the Turkish invasion. Will the Secretary of State strengthen the advice on the Foreign Office website urging British tourists and holidaymakers not to buy property in northern Cyprus that might have been stolen from its Cypriot owners?

Mr. Jack Straw: The advice that we give at the moment is appropriate but of course, we will always keep it open to review. This is a very complicated issue that goes back many decades. We are seeking to help bring both parties together, which is one reason why I worked so hard to open negations with Turkey on 3 October on membership of the European Union. Only when Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and the two communities recognize that their mutual interests are stronger than their historic antagonisms will we get a settlement.

Ankara Protocol

Foreign Minister of Belgium, Karel De Gucht, paid a visit to Athens today where he discussed several issues of mutual concern, including such matters as the Ankara protocol and the Cyprus problem with Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis. The two Foreign Ministers talked to the press after the meeting.  Read the Brussels review article on the press conference below:

Belgium, which currently holds the OSCE chair, restated the need for Turkey to sign the Ankara protocol extending the EU's customs union to all ten new member states including Cyprus. "Resolving this lasting problem is a precondition for Turkish EU membership," Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht told Cypriot journalists. 

"We have been of the opinion that the solution of the Cyprus problem should not necessarily be a precondition for opening accession negotiations, which we decided in October in Luxembourg but it certainly is a precondition for membership," added De Gucht. "We hope that the problem is solved as soon as possible." 

Following Dutch and French rejection of the proposed European constitution, a growing number of leading EU politicians argued that enlargement should be put on hold for Turkey.
Turkey, a Muslim country of 72 million people, has been trying to enter the European Union, and its predecessors, for over 40 years. Objections included the state of human rights, treatment of ethnic and religious minorities such as the Kurds, and Ankara's refusal to recognize the Republic of Cyprus or the Armenian genocide. Negotiations will last a minimum ten years, with no guarantee of membership, and foresee the eventual adoption of the euro. 

For its part, Turkey, too, is increasingly worried as to the future of enlargement. Ankara is under immense pressure to finally carry through on its commitments to implement economic and political reforms and expand its customs union with the EU to include all ten new Member States, including Cyprus. 

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has many times suggested that Turkey will 'soon' sign the protocol. Turkish officials, however, have only put pen to paper on an additional declaration to the Ankara Protocol stating that the document does not entail Turkish recognition of Cyprus.
"Clearly for us that there should be an early ratification of the Protocol. It should work in practice. Not only legally, but also in practice," said De Gucht on his visit to Cyprus earlier this week. 

Launching its plans for Austria's Presidency of the EU, Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel warned that talks with Turkey will be hard. Austria held out to the last minute before agreeing to opening of EU negotiations with Turkey.

New Release

War and Cultural Heritage
Cyprus after the 1974 Turkish Invasion

Michael Jansen

A new book has recently been released focusing on Cyprus and the looting that occurred right after Turkish troops stormed ashore on July 20th, 1974. The book titled War and Cultural Heritage - Cyprus after the 1974 Turkish Invasion by Michael Jansen is a journalist’s account of the pillaging and destruction of archaeological sites, churches, museums, monasteries, libraries, castles and private collections by Turkish soldiers. An incredible amount of these irreplaceable items have found their way onto the black market. The book (pp.92, p/b) sells for CY£16.80.