STRASBOURG - The time which Council of Europe gave to Turkey regarding the compensation which European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decided to be paid to Greek Cypriot woman Titiana Loizidou will expire on Wednesday.
Talks continue to find a solution till the meeting scheduled to take place in Council of Europe between the Turkish delegation and European Union (EU) ambassadors.
The delegates committee of Council of Europe, which convened in level of ambassadors, had taken a decision last week and wanted Turkey to pay the compensation to Loizidou till November 19 under ECHR decision, and stated that otherwise it could have taken several measures against Turkey.
The decision stressed that ECHR decision could not be discussed and should be fulfilled by the member countries.
Council of Europe delegates committee had three times taken decision since 1998 for the compensation to be paid.
Diplomatic sources told A.A correspondent that Council of Europe General Secretariat prepared a package of proposals for the measures that could be taken in case Turkey refuses to pay the compensation.
The delegates committee, which is reluctant to experience a serious crisis with Turkey which is among the founder members of Council of Europe, is estimated to target putting pressure on Turkey starting from the slightest of the measures.
Series of proposals, which was prepared to be presented to delegates committee, and which demanded suspension of Turkey's membership as the last remedy is briefly as follows:
-Information should be given to international organizations like U.N., EU and OSCE, regarding Turkey's not putting into practice the ECHR decision.
-Member countries may be called to bring this issue onto agenda in their bilateral relations with Turkey, and put pressure on Ankara.
-International organizations may be called to put pressure on Turkey.
-Important assignments may not be given to Turks within Council of Europe, commissions and committees.
-Turks, which act within Council of Europe and act as chairmen in commissions and committees may be removed from office.
-Turkey should not host meetings of Council of Europe.
-Fine should be given to Turkey.
-Amount of compensation, which ECHR wanted to be paid, should be cut from the contribution share which Turkey every year paid to Council of Europe's budget.
-Council of Europe should be called to make a call to other member countries to put pressure on Turkey.
-Authority document of Turkish parliamentarians participating in COEPA meetings should be suspended.
-COEPA should be called to impose sanctions on Turkish parliamentarian members.
-As the last remedy, necessary initiatives should be launched to suspend Turkey's membership.
Turkey said in the meeting held last July that it would fulfil the decision of ECHR until October. Turkey which noted in the meeting of delegates committee on Oct. 8 that it was ready to pay approximately 900,000 U.S. dollars to Loizidou, added that this case should not constitute an example for the applications of other Greek Cypriots against Turkey. Turkey requested the delegates committee to refer to this issue, but as a result of the rejections of Greek and Greek Cypriot delegates, no result was taken from the meeting in the beginning of October.
Turkey wants to issue a statement covering its reservations on the issue together with the decision to be published at the end of the delegates committee. No result could be obtained so far in the meetings in Council of Europe because of the oppositions of Greek and Greek Cypriot delegations.
Noting that TRNC parliament adopted the law that ensured Greek Cypriots to apply to TRNC courts for their properties in the north, Turkey wants ECHR not to accept the applications of Greek Cypriots against Turkey.
Turkey will also stress in this statement that its intention to pay compensation will not mean recognition of Greek Cypriot side.
Turkey's rejecting to pay compensation as a requirement of ECHR's decision on Loizidou had created diplomatic problems between Ankara and Strasbourg for a long time.
(AY) 18.11.2003