WRITTEN QUESTION P-0025/99

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(15 January 1999)

Subject: Accession of Cyprus to EU

On 31 December 1998, the authoritative news bulletin Agence Europe reported that at a congress on Germany and the EU organised by TEPSA (Trans-European Policy) ahead of the German Presidency of the EU, the Director of the Rome Institute of Foreign Affairs proposed that Cyprus should be asked to seek a form of federation in exchange for membership and Turkey be told that it could enter the group of 11 applicants provided it satisfied the Copenhagen criteria. If this strategy were not adopted, the EU would have to reject the accession of Cyprus and seek a different form of relationship with Turkey on the basis of clearly defined common interests. As the report presents the situation, the "proposals" would entail an exchange of "offers" from the EU to Cyprus and Turkey, though the acceptance of the offers would depend on the will of Turkey. However, whatever form of federation Cyprus might offer has already been officially rejected by the Turkish side and the possibility of Turkey joining the 11 other applicant countries has also been rejected because of the linkage with acceptance of the Copenhagen criteria. In other words, the proposal is undermined from the outset. However, as it was put forward at a congress with a view to the German Presidency by a reputable organisation which frequently advises the Community institutions, will the EU Presidency say what view it takes of the proposals concerned, which are completely contrary to the position adopted by the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee, which expressly decided that the accession of Cyprus to the EU is in no way connected with the search for a political settlement in Cyprus?

Reply

(26 April 1999)

It is normal that a subject such as the future enlargement of the European Union should give rise to a wide-ranging public debate. However, it is not for the Council to comment on the proceedings of a seminar or on information appearing in the press.

The position of the European Union on the accession of Cyprus has already been set out on several occasions by the Council, most recently at its meeting on 5 October 1998. The Council's conclusions have been published.