6 April 1995

Doc. 7276

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION on the Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq and Turkey's obligations under the Statute of the Council of Europe

presented by Mr SCHIEDER, Austria, SOC and others

1.       The Assembly is deeply concerned about the human rights violations in Turkey, in particular in the south east of the country as a result of the armed conflict between government forces and Kurdish nationalists.

2.       It condemns the recent Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq, in violation of international law, and expresses its anxiety about the safety of the civilian population in the area.

3.       Turkey should immediately withdraw its troops and commit itself to seeking a peaceful solution of the Kurdish issue.

4.       Despite repeated assurances by the government, in particular following the visit by an Assembly delegation in September 1994, there has been no significant progress with regard to constitutional and legislative reform in Turkey.

5.       The Assembly strongly condemns the sentencing of several Kurdish parliamentarians to up to 15 years' imprisonment for their political beliefs.

6.       The Assembly considers that the above facts are in violation of Turkey's obligations under the Statute of the Council of Europe, and regrets that, despite its repeated requests, the Turkish authorities have made no progress with constitutional and legislative reform.

7.       For these reasons, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers

i.       set a specific deadline by which Turkey must have brought its Constitution and other legislation in line with Council of Europe standards;

ii.       demand that Turkey withdraw its troops from northern Iraq immediately;

iii.       urge the Turkish Government to settle the Kurdish problem peacefully on the basis of the principles embodied in the Statute of the Council of Europe;

iv.       suspend Turkey from its rights of representation until it has complied with the provisions of the Statute of the Council of Europe.

Signed:

Schieder, Austria, SOC

Hardy, United Kingdom, SOC

Seeuws, Belgium, SOC

Gjellerod, Denmark, SOC

Cox, United Kingdom, SOC

Antretter, Germany, SOC

Redmond, United Kingdom, SOC

Blunck, Germany, SOC

Baarveld-Schlaman, Netherlands, SOC

de Puig, Spain, SOC

Severin, Romania, SOC

Bokov, Bulgaria, SOC

*       SOC : Socialist Group

      EPP : Group of the European People's Party

      EDG : European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left