- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 29 January 1997 (4th Sitting) (see Doc. 7717, report by the Political Affairs Committee, rapporteur: Mr Bársony; and Doc. 7747, opinion by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Mr Jurgens). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29 January 1997 (4th Sitting).
- Thesaurus
1. The Assembly notes with regret that, since it last debated the situation in Cyprus in February 1995, there has been no progress towards a peaceful and lasting settlement. It also regrets that no follow-up was given to the proposals then made in
Recommendation 1259 and
Resolution 1054.
2. This lack of progress, for which the political leaders of both communities bear responsibility, created the political climate which led to the killing of four Greek Cypriots and a Turkish Cypriot in the second half of 1996. The Assembly strongly condemns these murders.
3. Urgent measures, as proposed by the United Nations Security Council, should be taken to reduce tension along the cease-fire lines in order to avoid further bloodshed. The Assembly fully supports the policy of demilitarisation of the island of Cyprus.
4. The present deadlock in the negotiations must be broken. The Assembly calls on the leaders of the two communities to resume their meetings, which have not taken place since October 1994.
5. In order to establish mutual confidence and respect, contacts between the two communities must be increased at all levels. The Assembly urges the authorities on both sides to refrain from any action which would impede such contacts.
6. Existing practical co-operation between the two communities, such as on the Nicosia sewerage system and on the Nicosia "master plan", should be extended to other areas, in particular to telecommunications andpostal services. Communication between the two communities could thus be significantly improved.
7. The treatment of the Greek Cypriots living in the northern part of Cyprus gives rise to great concern. The Assembly calls upon the Turkish Cypriot administration to change its policies that, at present, amount to violations of human rights, and to implement the measures recommended by the Secretary General of the United Nations within six months.
8. The Assembly reaffirms its support for the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General to reach a comprehensive settlement on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, and calls for the resumption of the intercommunal talks under the good offices of the Secretary General. The Assembly supports the joint conference on Cyprus, called for by the United Nations, which would bring together the three guarantor powers for Cyprus, namely, the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey, to work for the unification of the island, and to promote the rights and security of Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
9. Membership of Cyprus in the European Union will bring considerable economic and political advantages for both communities. Such membership would also be a major factor of stability in the region. The Assembly therefore calls on all political leaders concerned to demonstrate far-sightedness and to seize this opportunity to move forward.
10. Cyprus is entitled to three Representatives (and three Substitutes) in the Parliamentary Assembly, two of which are to be Greek Cypriots and one a Turkish Cypriot. At present, only one seat (and the place of one Substitute) is filled, by a Greek Cypriot Representative (and a Greek Cypriot Substitute). Leaders of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties have, occasionally, been invited on an ad hoc basis to committee meetings.
11. In order to improve its dialogue with the people of Cyprus, the Assembly:
11.1 resolves to examine, with a view to ratification, at the next opportunity, the credentials of two Greek Cypriot Representatives, and two Greek Cypriot Substitutes;
11.2 instructs its committees concerned to invite representatives of the political forces of the Turkish Cypriot community to be represented whenever the situation in Cyprus is discussed;
11.3 invites the representatives of the political forces of both communities to start discussing possible ways to ensure the proper representation of the whole people of Cyprus in the Assembly, under Articles 25 and 26 of the Statute and Rules 6 and 40 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, and instructs its Political Affairs Committee to remain at the parties' disposal to facilitate such discussions.
