B4-0334, 0366 and 0368/96

Resolution on Cyprus

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Cyprus,

A. whereas the next enlargement of the European Union will include Cyprus, according to the conclusions of the recent European Councils,

B. whereas accession negotiations with Cyprus will start six months after the end of the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference, as provided for in the decision of 6 March 1995,

C. having regard to the progress made during the structured dialogue and the progress made by Cyprus in adapting to the acquis communautaire,

D. having regard to the need for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem based on international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions and in conformity with Community norms,

E. having regard to recent statements by Mr Denktash, according to which the 1619 Greek Cypriots whose fate has been unknown since 1974 were arrested and handed over by the Turkish army to Turkish Cypriot paramilitary organizations and were killed by them; considering that the responsibility for their fate lies with Turkey, according to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Annexes, the 1907 Regulation of the Hague on the laws and customs of war on land and international customary law,

F. having regard to the refusal of the occupation regime to allow a mission of the Sub-committee on Human Rights of the European Parliament to visit the Greek Cypriot enclave in the occupied part of Cyprus,

G. having regard to the continuing and systematic destruction of the cultural heritage of the occupied part of Cyprus,

H. having regard to the decision of the Italian Presidency to appoint a representative for the Cyprus problem as well as the fact that the structured dialogue has already begun and shows positive progress,

1. Condemns the content of recent statements by Mr Denktash on the killing of the 1619 Greek Cypriots and demands that the European Union do everything in its power so that the fate of the missing persons will be cleared up;

2. Demands that Turkey cooperate in honesty and good faith in ascertaining the fate of all missing persons by providing the necessary information for each one of them to the United Nations Committee for Missing Persons;

3. Condemns the refusal of the occupation regime to allow a delegation from the European Parliament to visit the Greek Cypriot enclave, a fact constituting an affront to the Parliament itself;

4. Demands that Turkey take all necessary measures so that the delegation from the European Parliament is able to visit the enclave in order to examine the living conditions and submit a relevant report for consideration, in the first instance, by the European Parliament's Sub-committee on Human Rights;

5. Asks the Turkish side to put an end to the destruction of the cultural heritage of the occupied part of Cyprus and allow the Cyprus Archeological Department, as well as foreign archeological teams, to visit the archeological sites and churches in the occupied part of Cyprus;

6. Welcomes the initiative by the Italian Presidency to appoint a representative for the Cyprus problem and asks the Council to upgrade this initiative through joint action and a common initiative with a view to solving the Cyprus problem in accordance with paragraph 19 of the European Parliament's resolution of 12 July 1995 on Cyprus's application for membership of the European Union ((OJ C 249, 25.9.1995, p. 74.)); asks however for this role to be clearly defined, and for it to be made clear whether the representative will express proposals and/or recommendations, the contents of which must in any case be communicated to the European Parliament;

7. Welcomes the proposal of the Cyprus government for the demilitarisation of Cyprus and asks Turkey to withdraw its occupation forces from the island and abide by the United Nations resolutions on Cyprus;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of Cyprus and Turkey and the UN Secretary-General.