Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jun 1999

Vol. 505 No. 6

Written Answers. - EU Membership.

Seán Power

Question:

86 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the progress being made in relation to Cyprus becoming a member of the EU; the steps, if any, the EU is taking to resolve the Cyprus problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14481/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

Cyprus presented its application for membership of the EC in July 1990. The formal accession process was launched by the 15 member states of the EU, the ten central and eastern European applicants and Cyprus on 30 March 1998. Bilateral intergovernmental conferences to begin accession negotiations with Cyprus along with Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia were held the following day. Those negotiations currently cover 15 chapters of the acquis and it is anticipated that a further eight chapters will be opened under the incoming Presidency.

In agreeing to open formal membership negotiations with Cyprus, the Luxembourg European Council of December 1997 requested that the willingness of the Government of Cyprus to include representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community be acted upon. The Turkish Cypriot authorities have, however, declined to take up this invitation to date. The Union believes the prospect of accession by Cyprus provides both the incentive and the opportunity for serious efforts to find a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus question.

Together with our partners in the Union, Ireland fully supports the efforts of the United Nations to achieve a political solution to the Cyprus question. We believe the UN framework of a bi-zonal bi-communal federal approach remains the appropriate one for an eventual settlement. Since September of last year, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy special representative for Cyprus, Dame Ann Hercus, has been conducting on-island contacts with both parties, with the goal of reducing tensions and promoting progress towards a just and lasting settlement.

The efforts of the EU, in support of the UN, have been concentrated on reducing tensions on the island, encouraging wider contacts between both communities at all levels, and using special envoys to seek to encourage and prepare the ground for a direct talks process between the two leaders on an overall political settlement. During Ireland's EU Presidency we appointed Ambassador Kester Heaslip as the Presidency's special representative for Cyprus. He retained this position under the subsequent Dutch and Luxembourg Presidencies. The current special representative is Ambassador zu Rantzau of Germany who has visited Turkey, Greece and Cyprus itself in recent weeks.

Together with our European partners, Ireland will continue to give every support to the efforts of the UN to advance the process towards a political settlement and to encourage Cyprus on its path towards EU accession.