WRITTEN QUESTION E-3382/97 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Council (23 October 1997)

Subject: Cyprus

The Commission's 'Agenda 2000' (COM(97) 2000) dares to mention Cyprus, which is covered in more detail than in the 1993 Commission opinion.

It is acknowledged in Agenda 2000, however, that 'Efforts since then, chiefly under UN auspices, to work towards a political settlement ... have not achieved much progress'.

Does not the Council believe that Cyprus poses a classic European problem requiring a European solution and that the Europeans are acting selfishly and hypocritically by allowing responsibility to rest with the international community as a whole?

If it accepts, as it is assumed in Agenda 2000, that there will always be two communities and two separate zones, does not the Council believe that it should use its good offices on its own initiative, perhaps taking the first step to enable the existing line of demarcation to be drawn more fairly and rationally, thereby ensuring, for example, that the monstrous present division of the city of Nicosia could be remedied?

Finally, does not the Council believe that Cyprus is a place that lends itself especially well to the 'common position' approach, which should be immediately followed by the necessary joint action, instead of the current disgraceful 'joint inaction'?

Answer (12 February 1998)

1. The European Union is committed to both a resolution of the Cyprus question in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for a bi-community, bi-zonal federation and to Cyprus' accession to the European Union.

The Council, meeting in its General Affairs composition in September 1997, regretted that the UN-sponsored talks at Troutbeck in July and at Glion in August 1997 had failed to make any progress. It recalled that these talks were an open-ended process the objective of which was the conclusion of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question. It is in this context that the demarcation issue will have to be settled.

The Presidency remains determined to make a significant contribution towards finding a solution to the Cyprus question. Over the last six months, it has visited Athens and Ankara, had talks with Mr Kasoulides, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in Luxembourg and met Mr Cordovez in New York, and there has been a ministerial meeting in the framework of the structured dialogue with Cyprus.

The Presidency's representative for Cyprus is closely monitoring the day-to-day situation and is cooperating closely with other international players.

2. At its meeting in Luxembourg on 12 and 13 December 1997, the European Council decided that accession negotiations with Cyprus would begin in the spring of 1998.

It takes the view that the accession of Cyprus should benefit all communities and help to bring about civil peace and reconciliation. The accession negotiations will contribute in a positive way towards the search for a political solution to the Cypriot problem through continued United Nations-sponsored talks aimed at establishing a bi-community, bi-zonal federation. In this context, the European Council has called for an effective follow-up to the Government of Cyprus' determination to include representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community in the delegation for the accession negotiations. The necessary contacts will be established by the Presidency and the Commission to ensure that this request is acted upon.

3. The Council must, therefore, repudiate the term 'joint inaction' in view of the efforts which it is making, together with the Commission, to help to find the best solution to the Cyprus question.