WRITTEN QUESTION E-0167/01 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Moves by Turkey to press ahead with the annexation of the occupied part of Cyprus.
Date: 2001-02-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, Türkiye, United Kingdom, accession criteria, diplomatic relations, government violence, political kidnapping, right to justice

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/197

(2001/C 187 E/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0165/01

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) and Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Notification under the Habitats Directive

(31 January 2001)

implementing projects of social
The Habitats Directive affords Member States the opportunity of
importance if they clash with ecological provisions. Article 6(4) of Directive 92/43/EEC (1) says:
(cid:145)If, in
spite of a negative assessment of the implications for the site and in the absence of alternative solutions,
a plan or project must nevertheless be carried out for imperative reasons of overriding public interest,
including those of a social or economic nature, the Member State shall take all compensatory measures
necessary to ensure that the overall coherence of Natura 2000 is protected. It shall inform the Commission
of the compensatory measures adopted(cid:146).

Can the Commission provide a full and detailed breakdown of such information it has received since the
entry into force of the Habitats Directive?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2001)

Since the entry into force of the Habitats Directive, Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, on 5 June 1994, the Commission has issued,
upon request of the Member States, two opinions related to the application of article 6.4(2).

These opinions concerned the following cases in Germany:

(cid:129) Crossing of the SPA/pSCI(cid:146)s (cid:145)Naturschutzgebiet Mecklenburgische Schweiz, Recknitz- und Trebeltal(cid:146) and
(cid:145)Peenetal vom Kummerower See bis Schadefaehre(cid:146) by the contruction of the A20 motorway in the
Land of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This case was the subject of complaint procedures 94/4764 and
97/4967. The Commission published opinion 96/15/EC of 18 December 1995 on the case (1).

(cid:129) Extension of the DASA aircraft factory into the SPA/pSCI (cid:145)Muehlenberger Loch(cid:146), Hamburg. The project
foresaw that the (cid:145)Muehlenberger Loch(cid:146), a shallow lagoon under tidal
influence, would be partly
destroyed by a landfill necessary for the industrial extension. The case was the subject of complaint
procedure 96/4181, to which seven other complaint files were attached. The Commission delivered its
opinion on the case on 19 April 2000, of which a copy is sent to the Honourable Member and the
Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

The Commission has received several notifications from Member States about activities at locations that
were not (yet) designated as Natura 2000 sites. The Comission has not issued any formal reaction to these
notifications, given the fact that designation of the sites should be the first step in the application of
Article 6 of the Habitats Directive.

(1) OJ L 6, 9.1.1996.

(2001/C 187 E/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0167/01

by Ioannis Mar(cid:237)nos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Moves by Turkey to press ahead with the annexation of the occupied part of Cyprus

On 13 December 2000 Mr Panikos Tsiakourmas, a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus, was seized by the
(cid:145)authorities(cid:146) of the puppet state of northern Cyprus while he was on the territory of the British bases on

C 187 E/198

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

the island. Mr Tsiakourmas who has been a refugee since the invasion of northern Cyprus by the Turkish
army in 1974 suffers from diabetes and is still being held, despite the obvious risk to his health. The report
drawn up by the police force of the British bases on Cyprus states that this citizen of the Republic of
Cyprus was taken by force to the Turkish-occupied territory and points out that there is no information
whatsoever linking him to drugs trafficking, which proves that the claims made by the occupying regime
are pure fiction.

This action by the Turkish army in Cyprus follows its provocative behaviour in the Strovilia region where
it seized part of the no man(cid:146)s land which was previously under UN control and its trench-digging actives
in the no man(cid:146)s land in the village of Pyla. Turkey(cid:146)s behaviour in Cyprus has become increasingly
aggressive since it was designated a (cid:145)candidate country(cid:146)
in the Turkish
newspaper (cid:145)Sabah(cid:146) which has not been denied by the Turkish government states that Turkey is examining
a plan to incorporate the occupied territories of Cyprus as part of Turkey, and to designate it as the 82nd
Vilayet (i.e. administrative district) of the Turkish Republic.

for accession, and a report

Will the Commission say what actions it is taking to secure the immediate release of Mr Tsiakourmos and
to prevail upon Turkey to cease its hostile activities directed against the Republic of Cyprus (a country
with which the EU is conducting talks with a view to accession) and to act in a manner befitting
a European state? Will it also say what view it takes of the planned annexation by Turkey of the occupied
territory of an independent Member State of the UN?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2001)

The Commission is aware of the circumstances concerning the detention of the Greek Cypriot building
contractor Mr Tziakourmas on 13 December 2000. It appears that Mr Tziakourmas was abducted from
the territory of the Eastern United Kingdom Sovereign Base Area. As a result, the British government has
raised this incident with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community and with the authorities in Ankara.
The Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The criteria for membership agreed by the Copenhagen European Council in 1993 include the guarantee-
ing of the rule of law and of human rights. In this context Turkey(cid:146)s fulfilment of its obligations as
a consequence of membership of the Council of Europe is an important factor. The Commission monitors
respect of these commitments by all candidate countries and regularly reports to the Parliament and to the
Member States on developments in these areas.

The enhanced political dialogue between the Union and Turkey, as mentioned in the Helsinki European
Council conclusions, provides the possibility to further discuss these issues. The usual diplomatic channels
will also be used for this purpose.

(2001/C 187 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0170/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Establishment of city twinning network

Municipalities in Greece, Cyprus, France and regions in other countries linked through the City Twinning
Programme have set up a common network of twinned cities and regions in the Mediterranean in a bid to
develop cooperation under optimal conditions. Their purpose in setting up this network is, on the one
hand, to pursue joint actions and cooperation with other local authorities at various levels in Mediterra-
nean countries, with scientific centres and institutes, with the EU institutions and international organisa-
tions and, on the other, to explore the cultural identity of the Mediterranean peoples.