EU: Turkish Cypriots should have their own representatives in EU parliament

"Turkish should be adopted as an official EU language and Turkish Cypriots should be invited to send their own representatives to the European Parliament", says a report which was discussed and approved by the Conference of the Presidents of the European Parliament.

The Report was prepared by the Parliament's High Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish Cypriot People which was set up in 2005 to improve relations between the Turkish Cypriot People and the European Parliament.

The Conference of the Presidents also extended the mandate of the High Level Contact Group until 2009.

Among other things, the report by the High Level Contact Group includes the Turkish Cypriot People's wish to be invited to send their own representatives to the European Union.

Currently, "Cyprus" holds six seats in the Parliament but none of them are held by representatives of the Turkish Cypriot people which is one of the two sides on the island.

It also says that the Turkish language should be accepted as an official language of the European Union and adds that such a move would greatly facilitate contacts between the Turkish Cypriot people and the European Parliament.

In its report, the Group also expresses its support to the efforts made by the Commission and the Council Presidency to secure an agreement which would enable the Council to adopt a regulation on special conditions for trade with the Turkish Cypriot People.

It also refers to difficulties experienced by Turkish Cypriot students, due mainly to the non-inclusion of Turkish Cypriot universities in Europe-wide education programs.

The Group also noted that the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people is still very tangible and stresses that the isolation can be brought to a complete end only as part of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the United Nations.

Speaking after the approval of the report, the President of the European Parliament Hans Gert Poettering said the Conference of Presidents reached consensus on the need for the High Level Contact Group to continue its visits to North Cyprus.

Mr Poettering said no decision was taken on the wish expressed by the Turkish Cypriot People to be represented at the European Parliament. Commenting on the issue, the Coordinator of the Prime Ministry's EU Coordinator Centre Erhan Elcin welcomed the approval of the report as an important step.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot People's demands for Turkish to be adopted as an official EU language and its representation at the European Parliament were officially brought to the agenda of the Parliament with the approval of the report.

The Conference of Presidents will hold further discussions on the report at a later date.

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