Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 3

Written Answers. - Discussions on Cyprus.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

88 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions, if any, which have taken place between himself or officials of his Department and the Greek and Turkish authorities regarding Cyprus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18205/97]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

I have not yet had the opportunity for bilateral meetings with my fellow Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey. However, I and my officials routinely have contact with diplomatic and official representatives of both Greece and Turkey and the issue of Cyprus has been frequently raised on these occasions.

Ireland's interest in seeing a political solution to the Cyprus question is clear and well understood, both by Greece and Turkey, as well as by the UN and the wider international community. It follows from our longstanding contribution to the peacekeeping mission of the United Nations in Cyprus and our support for the ongoing efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General in his good offices mission to seek a lasting political settlement between both communities on the island.

The prospect of the accession of Cyprus to the European Union has provided both the incentive and the opportunity for a renewed effort to find a solution to the Cyprus question. Since January 1996, the EU Presidency has appointed a special representative for Cyprus with the objective of seeking to closely monitor and facilitate efforts of the international community and the UN to encourage direct negotiations between the leadership of the two communities. Under our Presidency, Ambassador Kester Heaslip was appointed to this role and he has continued to act as Presidency special representative for Cyprus during the Dutch and Luxembourg Presidencies.

Both the Presidency special representative and the Commission have undertaken an active programme of visits to Cyprus to meet the political leadership of the two communities and with a cross-section of representatives from the social and economic sectors. They have sought to provide accurate and detailed information during these contacts on the implications and potential benefits of EU membership for both communities, and in particular for the Turkish Cypriot community.

The political message which the EU has sought to convey to the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides is that they have everything to gain and nothing to lose from the accession of a united Cyprus to the European Union. Membership of the Union will provide not only clear benefits in economic development, but also safeguards on security and on respect for the rights of both communities.

Following international efforts to encourage moves towards a political settlement, a process of direct talks between President Clerides and Mr. Denktash has been initiated under the aegis of the UN Secretary-General, and his special adviser on Cyprus, Mr. Diego Cordovez. Ireland and her EU partners have welcomed this initiative. The first set of talks took place in July this year in New York and were followed by a second session in Switzerland in August. During this second session Mr. Denktash stated that he was unwilling to continue negotiations on the draft outline of a settlement unless the EU suspended its decision to open accession negotiations with Cyprus in 1998. The EU Council of Ministers in September rejected any linkage between the direct talks process and accession negotiations and confirmed that the latter would proceed as planned.

At present the UN Secretary-General's special adviser is in contact with both parties with the objective of continuing the direct talks process in 1998, following completion of presidential elections in Cyprus.

We remain fully supportive of UN efforts to maintain the direct talks process. We will also continue to call upon all interested parties, including Greece and Turkey, to play a positive and constructive role to support UN efforts to achieve a political settlement. In particular, we will also continue to urge the leadership of both communities in Cyprus to fully and seriously avail of this opportunity to secure for all the people of Cyprus a comprehensive and peaceful solution to the Cyprus question.