WRITTEN QUESTION E-1587/00 by Jürgen Zimmerling (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Effects of the resolutions on Cyprus.
Date: 2000-05-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, Türkiye, common foreign and security policy, foreign policy, occupied territory

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/83

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2000)

The Finnish horizontal rural development plan was foreseen to be presented to the committee on
agricultural structures and rural development (STAR committee) on 29 March 2000. However, due to
some pending problems of the Finnish action plan under Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December
1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (1)
the point was withdrawn to ensure further clarification of the situation. The April 2000 meeting of the
STAR committee was partially cancelled as the committee on the development and conversion of regions
acted as STAR-Committee dealing only with objective 1 issues. Therefore, the Finnish plan was on the
agenda of the STAR-committee on 24 May 2000 where a favourable opinion was given. The final step on
the approval procedure will be the Commission decision.

For the programming period of 2000-2006, the Finnish plan is the first European agriculture guidance and
guarantee fund (EAGGF) funded plan from Member States to be examined by the STAR committee.

(1) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.

(2001/C 72 E/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1587/00

by J(cid:252)rgen Zimmerling (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 May 2000)

Subject: Effects of the resolutions on Cyprus

On 16 November 1995, and again on 27 March 1996, the European Parliament adopted resolutions on
the situation in Cyprus (B4-1387/95 (1) and B4-0034/96 (2)):

(cid:129) What effect have these resolutions had?

(cid:129) What was the Turkish reaction to them?

(1) OJ C 323, 4.12.1995, p. 117.
(2) OJ C 117, 22.4.1996, p. 15.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2000)

The Honourable Member(cid:146)s question refers to incidents and tensions along the buffer zone between the two
communities in Cyprus.

The Commission firmly believes that, following the positive developments at the Helsinki European
Council in December 1999 and in the light of the greatly improved relations between Greece and Turkey,
along with the designation by the Member States of Turkey as a candidate country, a start has been made
towards decreasing political tensions in Cyprus. This summer will see the resumption in Geneva of the
proximity talks between the two communities lead by the United Nations. The Commission hopes that
further progress towards a lasting settlement of the political problem will be made. Meanwhile, the
enlargement negotiations with the Republic of Cyprus are progressing well with 15 of the negotiating
chapters provisionally closed. Further initiatives are being taken to set up bi-communal projects following
the visit of the member responsible for Enlargement to Cyprus in March 2000. The Commission is of the
opinion that the proximity talks and accession process can mutually reinforce each other thereby reducing
tensions and incidents as noted in the resolutions of the Parliament cited by the Honourable Member.

The Commission is not aware of any precise reaction from the Turkish authorities to these resolutions.