Turkey’s
future relations with the European Union, and the settlement of the
Cyprus problem as a precondition for eventual EU membership, were dealt
exhaustively this week by the EU Parliament’s Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy.
The interest
generated was indicated by the submission of a staggering 283 amendments
to the report eventually approved by the Committee, which will now go
for approval before the plenary.
The Committee report
is on the whole strongly critical of Turkey for its human rights
record, and calls on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus.
It appeared to skate
over Turkey’s equally grave human rights violations in Cyprus, however,
while calling for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots “to take courageous
steps so that a solution can yet be reached which suits both parties on
the basis of the proposals of Secretary-General Kofi Annan.’’
The government must
now launch as strong an effort as possible to ensure that the final
report approved by the plenary is not watered down, and what is more
important, declares unequivocally that the long-elusive Cyprus
settlement must under no circumstances deviate from the EU acquis and
full respect for human rights, as envisaged by the derogations included
in the Annan plan. The Cyprus case is strengthened by the very first
paragraph of the Committee’s report which declares that “every EU
citizen should have the same kind of rights and obligations in his or
her member state and whereas all citizens throughout the Union must be
conscious of being protected and recognised as deserving protection
against discrimination and maladministration by the authorities.’’
This simple
introduction opens the way for Cyprus to insist on the incorporation of
the principles enunciated in the terms of a settlement, without any
derogations, so that Cyprus, and all its citizens, “should have the same
kind of rights and obligations,’’ like any other member state or
citizen of the Union, and not be treated as a kind of second class
member state or citizens, where the acquis and human rights are brushed
aside for the sake of a political compromise to satisfy Turkey, a
country which is itself a gross violator of international law and human
rights.
The case for Cyprus
succeeding in this demand is further strengthened by paragraph 11 of the
Committee report, which demands a new Constitution for Turkey, which,
it says, must be “explicitly based on European democratic foundations,
with the rights of the individual and of minorities balanced against
collective rights in accordance with the customary European standards,
as set out for example in the European Convention on the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.’’
Here again, Cyprus
must insist on the same principles being applied in its case. But in
order to succeed Cyprus must present its case with maximum support from
those internationally acclaimed legal experts, who have already pointed
out the grave inconsistencies of the Annan plan with international law,
the EU acquis and the European Human Rights Convention.
This becomes all the
more pressing, and imperative, in view of the recent chorus from
various quarters demanding the acceptance of the Annan plan as is,
without any of the amendments necessary to make it fully compatible with
the EU acquis, not in 15 or 20 years time, as it suggests when those
likely to benefit will be long dead, but with the accession of Cyprus to
the EU, to ensure that Cyprus as a state, and all its citizens, enjoy
the full and equal rights of all other EU member states and citizens.
Due praise
ONE month ago we pointed out that regrettably Theodoros Pangalos,
the former Greek Foreign Minister, had been overlooked in the profuse
praise lavished on all the other people, who had played a role in
achieving the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. We pointed out
that Pangalos worked as hard as other people, both as Deputy Foreign
Minister and as minister, to win EU approval for Cyprus’ membership, and
did not hesitate to blast some people in Cyprus who were not as
enthusiastic.
Yesterday’s
honouring of Panagalos for his contribution, in separate ceremonies by
Kisos and the Mayor of Lefkara, has corrected the omission."