EU should ensure welcome to both Greek and Turkish Cypriots

6.17.59pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 15th Mar 2004

Sarah Ludford and Baroness Emma Nicholson met then Turkish Cypriot opposition party leaders Mehmet Ali Talat and Ali Erel after they had spoken at the European Parliament in Strasbourg about the prospects for negotiating a peaceful settlement in Cyprus on the Basis of the UN 'Annan plan' if they won the elections in North Cyprus in December 2003

London LibDem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has called for this week's visit of a delegation from the European Parliament to Cyprus to include official meetings with Turkish Cypriot representatives from Northern Cyprus.

Baroness Ludford, who is a member of the delegation said:

"EU enlargement is less than two months away and there is a real chance for a referendum vote to reunify Cyprus before accession. I find it regrettable if European parliamentarians (and preferably our Cyprus counterparts) cannot find the flexibility to make room for an official meeting with Turkish Cypriots. It would send such a powerful symbol of the welcome for all Cypriots to the EU.

"Both President Papadopoulos and Mr Denktash must show the vision in New York to secure the deal that Cyprus needs. If not, and Kofi Annan has to take charge of arranging a referendum, then I hope that all Cypriots will go to the ballot boxes and award themselves the prosperous unified European future they all deserve."

Note:

At the request of Baroness Ludford a meeting has been arranged at least for herself, the chair of the committee Mrs Rothe and rapporteur Mr Poos with (subject to confirmation) Mr Kutlay Erk, Mr Mustafa Akinci and Mr Ali Erel, although this is only on the Wednesday afternoon after the formal end of the JPC. Sarah Ludford had called for such a meeting to take place during the formal visit of the delegation, and at least with the MEPs.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee consists of representatives from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union. Chaired jointly by Mrs Mechtild Rothe MEP and Mr Nicos Cleanthous it involves official meetings on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th March to discuss EU-Cyprus relations, accession to the EU, European Parliament elections and asylum and immigration policies.

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