Commons Hansard  (23 Jan 2001)
House of Commons Hansard Debates for 23 Jan 2001 (pt 3)
Turkey

Extracts from the debate on Turkey....

Sir David Madel (South-West Bedfordshire): Do the Turkish Government accept that if Cyprus joins the European Union, there must be complete freedom of movement throughout the island? Therefore, when is the Turkish army going to leave and what is the Turkish Government's response when the Minister points out to them--as I hope he does--that Turkey must leave Cyprus, which must be restored as an independent state, and that there must be complete freedom of movement if Cyprus joins the EU?

Mr. Vaz: We are in complete agreement with the talks that are going on. As the hon. Gentleman will know, the proximity talks are important. We have a special representative, Sir David Hannay, who is dealing with those matters. Of course the issue concerns the EU. We have made clear our position on Cyprus's application to join the EU. We would prefer a united island to join, but unity is not a precondition of membership. All countries involved in that issue are aware of the position, and we shall continue to do everything that we possibly can to accept and follow the statement of the Prime Minister in December 1998, when he made it clear that he wanted to see matters resolved.

Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): What do the Turks say about the use of their Incerlik air base in Anatolia for the purpose, last Saturday, of bombing an Iraqi cattle feed factory, killing six Iraqi cowherds?

Mr. Vaz: As my hon. Friend knows, Turkey is a NATO ally and has worked with the United Kingdom on a number of different conflicts. It is an ally on which we rely. As for the particular issue that he has raised, I give an assurance that I shall raise it with the Turkish ambassador when I see him this week.

Mr. Francis Maude (Horsham): Will the Minister acknowledge that the Turkish Government have real concerns about the creation of a European rapid reaction force outside NATO? Will he stop trying to pretend to the contrary?

Mr. Vaz: No.

Mr. Maude: Last June, the Foreign Secretary said that "they"--the non-EU NATO members--

recognise that it is an excellent outcome for them.--[Official Report, 15 June 2000; Vol. 351, c. 1124.]

Turkey's rights . . . are being trampled on . . . EU military decisions with regard to NATO will be . . . made in our absence. It is impossible for us to accept this--[Interruption.]

Mr. Denis MacShane (Rotherham): The right hon. Gentleman is speaking for Turkey.

Mr. Maude: It is the Prime Minister of Turkey who will speak for Turkey. Who can we trust to represent the Turkish Government's view--the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary or the Turkish Prime Minister?

Mr. Vaz: We have made it absolutely clear that NATO remains the bedrock of our defence policy. We have explained that so many times to the right hon. Gentleman that I feel at pains to have to explain it again to him. On every single occasion, we are consulting and discussing with Turkey as a NATO ally. Turkey is relaxed about what we are proposing to do. When it has concerns, it discusses them within the proper parameters of the continuing discussions on defence policy. We do not have to discuss those concerns with the Conservative party. 

Commons Written Answers  (17 Jan 2001)
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 17 Jan 2001 (pt 3)
Cyprus

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many chapters of the European Union application for membership by the Republic of Cyprus have been successfully negotiated; how many remain to be discussed; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 15 January 2001, Official Report, column 28W.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the rate of remuneration of Sir David Hannay in respect of his work in Cyprus. 

Mr. Vaz: Sir David Hannay works on a part-time basis and receives a per diem remuneration which is commensurate with his expertise. I am very grateful for his considerable contribution to the settlement process over the last four and a half years. 

Commons Written Answers  (16 Jan 2001)
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 16 Jan 2001 (pt 11)
Cyprus

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Turkish Government about the arrest in Cyprus of Mr. Panicos Tsiakourmas; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: The UK Government regard the detention of Panicos Tsiakourmas as a very serious matter. Our High Commissioner has made strong representations to Mr. Dentkash about the circumstances of Mr. Tsiakourmas' arrest. We have also raised our concerns with the Turkish Authorities in Nicosia, Ankara and London. I met Mrs. Tsiakourmas and my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love) on 9 January 2001. We will continue to raise the issue until it is resolved satisfactorily.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British High Commissioner in Cyprus about the detention of Mr. Panicos Tsiakourmas in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [145437]

Mr. Vaz: Our High Commissioner in Nicosia has provided the Foreign Secretary and me with regular reports on the detention of Mr. Tsiakourmas. Our officials are in daily telephone contact with him and I met Mrs. Tsiakourmas on 9 January. The Government regard the detention of Mr. Tsiakourmas as a very serious matter. Our High Commissioner has made strong representations to Mr. Denktash about the circumstances of Mr. Tsiakourmas' arrest. We have also raised our concerns with the Turkish authorities in Nicosia, Athens and London. We will continue to raise the issue until it is resolved satisfactorily.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Cyprus. [R] [145447]

Mr. Vaz: The Foreign Secretary has no plans to visit Cyprus. I hope to visit in March 2001.

Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit the Republic of Cyprus. [145441]

Mr. Vaz: The Foreign Secretary has no plans to visit Cyprus. I hope to visit in March 2001. 

Commons Written Answers  (15 Jan 2001)
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Jan 2001 (pt 7)
Cyprus

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present legal position of Mrs. Titina Loizidou and the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in the case of Loizidou against Turkey. 

Mr. Vaz: Mrs. Loizidou awaits settlement of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in her case against Turkey in which she was awarded financial compensation for the loss of access to her property. The Government will continue to play their part in the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, which is responsible for supervising the implementation of judgments and for taking the necessary measures to ensure that they are implemented.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently with foreign ministers of European countries on Cyprus's application for membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: The Foreign Secretary and I have frequent discussions with our EU counterparts on Cyprus's and all the other EU candidates' membership applications. Our most recent substantive discussions were at the General Affairs Council meetings on 20 November and 4 December 2000. Cyprus has made considerable progress in its accession negotiations. We look forward to further progress under the Swedish Presidency which will take forward the recommendations made in the European Commission's Enlargement Strategy paper of November 2000.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has recently had with the Turkish Government on the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Loizidou against Turkey; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Hain: Complementing the collective responsibility of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers to ensure that judgments of the European Court of Human Rights are implemented, the Government have taken regular opportunities in bilateral discussions to urge Turkey to comply with the judgment.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many chapters of the European Union's application for the membership of the Republic of Cyprus have been successfully negotiated; how many remain to be approved; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: Cyprus has opened 29, and provisionally closed 17, of the 31 chapters of the EU's "acquis communautaire" (the body of EU legislation and practice). We expect significant further progress in the accession negotiations during the Swedish Presidency.

Commons Written Answers  (11 Jan 2001)
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 11 Jan 2001
Cyprus

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the abduction of Mr. Panicos Tsiakourmas, a Greek Cypriot, by Turkish forces from the British Sovereign Base area in Cyprus on 12 December 2000. [144897]

Mr. Vaz: The UK Government regard the detention of Panicos Tsiakourmas as a very serious matter. Our High Commissioner has made repeated strong protests about the circumstances of Mr. Tsiakourmas' arrest to Mr. Denktash and we have raised our concerns with the Turks in Nicosia, Ankara and London. On 9 January, I met Mrs. Tsiakourmas and the hon. Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love). We will continue to raise this issue until the situation is satisfactorily resolved.

Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the arrest and imprisonment of Mr. Panicos Tsiakourmas, on 12 December 2000, by forces of the Turkish administration from Pergamos, and his health; and what representations he has made to (a) the authorities in northern Cyprus and (b) the Turkish Government about this matter. 

Mr. Vaz: The Government regard the detention of Panicos Tsiakourmas as a very serious matter. Our High Commissioner is in close contact with his family and the UN concerning his health and welfare. Our High Commissioner has made strong representations to Mr. Denktash about the circumstances of Mr. Tsiakourmas' arrest. We have also raised our concerns with the Turkish authorities in Nicosia, Ankara and London. We will continue to raise this issue until the matter is satisfactorily resolved.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit the Republic of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Vaz: The Foreign Secretary has no immediate plans to visit Cyprus. However, I hope to visit the island in March.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers from his Department have visited northern Cyprus since May 1997. 

Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin), the then Minister for Europe, visited northern Cyprus in April 1999, as part of a wider trip to the island. During her visit to the north of the island she met Mr. Denktash, and party leaders Mr. Akinci and Mr. Talat.
I plan to visit Cyprus in March.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has recently had with Greece and Turkey on the proximity talks on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: The Secretary of State meets his Greek and Turkish counterparts frequently. His most recent substantive discussions with them on Cyprus took place at the OSCE Ministerial Meeting in November.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the situation of Mr. Panikos Tsiakourmas, who was arrested by Turkish military forces in Cyprus; and what representations the British High Commissioner has made to the Turkish authorities in relation to the welfare and whereabouts of Mr. Tsiakourmas. [144625]

Mr. Vaz: The Secretary of State and I have received regular reports on Mr. Tsiakourmas since his arrest. Our High Commissioner in Nicosia is in close contact with the Tsiakourmas family and the UN concerning Mr. Tsiakourmas' welfare. Our High Commissioner has made strong protests about the circumstances of Mr. Tsiakourmas' arrest to Mr. Denktash and has also discussed the case with the Turkish Ambassador in Nicosia. Our Ambassador in Ankara has raised the case with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we have done likewise with the Turkish Embassy in London. 

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met President Clerides of the Republic of Cyprus. [144408]

Mr. Vaz: The Foreign Secretary last met President Clerides on 12 March 1998 at the EU Birmingham Summit. The Prime Minister met President Clerides on 10 April 2000 in London. The Foreign Secretary and I met the Cyprus Foreign Minister, Mr. Kasoulides, in London on 3 October and 29 September respectively.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Mr. Rauf Denktash on freedom of the press in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [144412]

Mr. Vaz: The UK has made it clear to the Turkish Cypriots at various levels that we expect the rights of Turkish Cypriots, including the freedom of the press, to be respected. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who Her Majesty's Government's representatives will be at the next meeting of the United Nations' sponsored proximity talks on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: The United Kingdom is not party to the United Nation-sponsored talks on Cyprus. However, we follow developments closely and Sir David Hannay, UK Special Representative for Cyprus, is likely to meet the parties during the next meeting. The UK urges all involved to co-operate with the UNSG's efforts to reach a just and lasting settlement.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Mr. Rauf Denktash regarding the legal action taken against Turkish Cypriot opposition politicians and journalists in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. 

Mr. Vaz: The United Kingdom has made it clear to the Turkish Cypriots at various levels that we expect the rights of Turkish Cypriots to be respected, including the freedom of the press. We have expressed concern about particular instances, such as the recent case of Mr. Levent, and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers from his Department have visited the Republic of Cyprus since May 1997.

Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin), the then Minister for Europe, visited Cyprus in April 1999. The visit included meetings with President Clerides, Foreign Minister Kasoulides, Mr. Denktash, and several Greek and Turkish Cypriot party leaders.
I plan to visit Cyprus in March.

Commons Written Answers  (9 Jan 2001)
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Jan 2001 (pt 10)
Platon Obukhov

Mr. Robin Cook [pursuant to his reply, 14 December 2000, c. 226W]: The Nice IGC agreed that on 1 January 2005 member states' votes in the Council would be re-weighted according to the following table.

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