Doc. 9435

7 May 2002

Lifting of economic and social embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people

Motion for an order

presented by Mr Vahtre and others

      The Assembly,

      Recalling its Resolution 1267(2002) on the situation in Cyprus which describes the situation of the Turkish Cypriots as “…ever more isolated from the rest of the world and ignored by the international community…” and which calls upon the European Union to create “as a contribution to confidence building measures…in co-operation with the relevant chamber of commerce in the northern part of Cyprus and if possible the relevant chamber of commerce in the southern part of Cyprus, a clearing mechanism through which products and goods from the northern part of Cyprus can be exported to the European Union without being hampered by the political differences among the two entities;”;

      Alarmed by the fact that the economic disparity between the two sides and the international isolation caused by the embargoes imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people is one of the main causes of the lack of confidence and trust between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots;

      Aware of the need for mutual demonstration of good-will for the success of the ongoing face-to-face talks between the leaders of the two sides;

      Wishing to contribute to confidence building and the creation of a positive political atmosphere between the two sides;

      Believing that the immediate lifting of these inhuman embargoes would not only remove one of the major impediments in the way of progress towards reconciliation, but also allow the Turkish Cypriot people to enjoy their basic human rights as called for in the relevant international instruments,

      Instructs its Committee on Economic Affairs and Development to examine the situation in Cyprus in this context and report back to the Assembly on its findings, and on the ways to improve the present state of affairs.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed : ¹

Vahtre, Estonia, EPP

Abbasov, Azerbaijan, EDG

Akçali, Turkey, EDG

Akgönenç, Turkey, EDG

Andıcan, Turkey, EDG

Belohorská, Slovakia, EDG

Budin, Italy, SOC

Cerrahoğlu, Turkey, EDG

Frey, Switzerland, LDR

Gönül, Turkey, EPP

Goulet, France, EDG

Gülek, Turkey, SOC

Gürkan, Turkey, SOC

Hajiyeva, Azerbaijan, EPP

Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR

Herzog, Hungary, SOC

Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC

Kalkan, Turkey, EDG

Keltošová, Slovakia, EDG

Kilclooney, United Kingdom, EPP

Kurucsai, Hungary, EPP

Loutfi, Bulgaria, LDR

Mutman, Turkey, SOC

Pollozhani, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, EDG

Sağlam, Turkey, EPP

Schreiner, France, EDG

Seyidov, Azerbaijan, EDG

Shakhtakhtinskaya, Azerbaijan, EDG

Stepová, Czech Republic, SOC

Telek, Turkey, EDG

Tkáč, Slovakia, EDG

Wilkinson, United Kingdom, EDG

Yarygina, Russia, SOC

Yürür, Turkey, EDG

Zwerver, Netherlands, SOC

¹        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

      NR: not registered in a group