No General Discussion To Be Held About Cyprus Issue In Parliament

ANKARA - The parliament has not accepted to open a general discussion about Cyprus issue.
The request of opening a general discussion on the issue was rejected on Tuesday by the votes of AK Party deputies. Acting Parliament Speaker Nevzat Pakdil who chaired the session said that ''as the discussions made the same day were found sufficient, the parliament has not accepted to open a general debate on the issue.''
During the talks True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar asked Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul if EU law would be implemented in Cyprus or not. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul responded to that question saying that both EU and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan accepted EU law to be the basis. Gul stressed that lawyers who knew well the EU were part of the activities in order not to make any mistake.
Responding to the speech of CHP deputy leader Onur Oymen who criticized the policy of the government about Cyprus, Gul said that they didn't regard solution of Cyprus issue as a precondition of Turkey's EU membership.
Gul stated that they took as the basis Copenhagen criteria in the membership process of Turkey, adding that solution of Cyprus issue would have positive repercussions on membership process.
''The negotiations will be very tough, and amendments in Annan plan which we and the other side need will be made,'' said Gul, noting that the result to be reached at the end of the negotiations would be presented to the TRNC people and voted. Gul stated that the parliament would say the final word about the issue, adding that the parliament had also approved 1960 Agreement.
Gul stressed that President and General Staff were informed every day when the talks were held in New York, adding that written documents were also presented to them. Gul said that he also visited the President during that period and took into consideration the suggestions of the President.
Gul pointed out that Enosis (union with Greece) would come true if the Greek Cypriot side joined the EU unilaterally, and Greek Cypriots aimed to dissolve Turks in that way. ''We've opposed that until the end, the only thing we did not do was to declare war. If CHP were in power, would it declare war against EU? I don't know,'' Gul said.
Gul noted that the way of membership of Greek Cypriot side to EU opened 5-6 years ago and the then governments in Turkey had accepted that implicitly.
''In fact, we try to prevent a crisis, we try to bring a better status for Turkish Cypriots who can have a worse position.''
(Öª-AÖ) 17.02.2004