EU Enlargement Report Confirms Cyprus Accession Terms

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-news.com, Cyprus

14 November 2001

The EU's annual enlargement report on Cyprus, due out today, will set out the benefits of EU membership for Turkish Cypriots. Reuters yesterday obtained excerpts of the report, which says that both Greek and Turkish Cypriots would get human rights guarantees once the whole island entered the EU. "EU membership, in the context of a political settlement, will enable all Cypriots to enjoy the guarantee of fundamental democratic and human rights, including the respect of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity," the report said, and confirms that both Greek and Turkish Cypriots will participate in the work of EU institutions.

The report will be seen as useful by Greece and Greek Cypriots, who worry about the resolution of the EU in the face of warlike threats from Turkey to 'annexe' Northern Cyprus if the divided island is admitted to the EU.

Greece yesterday repeated its threat to veto on any future European Union expansion if it does not include Cyprus. Foreign Minister George Papandreou said that Athens expects its other EU partners to respect an accord that the island will be able to join regardless of whether its political division is settled.

"The Greek parliament has sent us the message that it cannot ratify expansion without Cyprus. There is the Helsinki (EU summit) decision, and we are just asking that decision be upheld," Papandreou told Ta Nea newspaper.

Ankara has admitted for the first time that the Cyprus situation is a problem, Papandreou said. "It now acknowledges it exists, it does not try to hide it. Previously it would say there was no problem," he said.

On Sunday, Greek Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides made it clear there can be no solution to the Cyprus problem outside of UN resolutions and the good offices of UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan. Speaking at a news conference following an address to the UN General Assembly in New York, Clerides said the offer made last week by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash to meet face to face was aimed at bypassing the UN.

Clerides added he would be glad to meet Denktash face to face, " once we both accept to return to the negotiating table".

"Mr Denktash wanted to bypass the good offices of the UN Secretary-General and go to direct talks when it was he who insisted on proximity talks," Clerides said, adding that he did not want to give Denktash the opportunity to throw aside the UN. " Because without the good offices (of the UN) it will not be possible to find a solution," he said.

During his address, Mr Clerides called on Mr Denktash to join the UN-sponsored talks: "The Turkish Cypriots will benefit considerably from the accession of our country to the European Union. I urge Mr Denktash to realise that he and I are not getting any younger and that we owe it to the younger generations of Cypriots to do away with the walls of division," Clerides said.

The northern part of Cyprus is far from being united under Mr Denktash's leadership, with many Turkish Cypriots suffering from and regretting the economic morass into which the Turkish occupation has thrown their region. Turkish Cypriot newspaper Avrupa, which has been brave enough to voice such thoughts was attacked last week by the authorities. Yesterday the Union of Cyprus Journalists denounced the "piratical attack" of the Denktash regime on Avrupa.

The Union of Cyprus Journalists points out that "with a gangster-like assault" the occupation forces have confiscated the technical equipment and other assets of "Avrupa on the pretext that it did not carry out its tax obligations".

The union adds that such threats aim "at strangulating the newspaper and silencing its daily voice against the partitionist and expansionist policies of the Ankara rulers and the oppressive Denktash regime and in favour of the freedom of expression and the human rights in the Turkish Cypriot community".

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