Council Of Europe Parliamentarian Assembly Discusses Cyprus Report

PARIS, Jan 7 (A.A) - Council of Europe Parliamentarian Assembly (COEPA) Justice Commission on Monday discussed Cyprus report at a meeting held in Paris.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament Speaker Vehbi Zeki Serter and National Unity Party parliamentarian Ilker Nevzat attended the meeting as well as the member parliamentarians.
The commission stated a ''positive view'' for the report which gave full support to the initiations launched for the peaceful solution of Cyprus report.
In respect to the decisions which the COEPA took in the past years, Turkish Cypriot parliamentarians have the right to attend the commission meetings where reports pertaining to the future of the island are being discussed, and also have the right to state their views.
Serter and Nevzat, who responded to the questions of reporters regarded with the meeting, said they found Cyprus report as positive in general.
The Dutch parliamentarian Eric Jurgens, the Justice Commission Chairman, wanted expressions, which accused the Turkish army as being occupier, and which claimed that the Turkish army was on the island contradicting with the international law, to be included in the report.
Upon the oppositions of Cevdet Akcali, the Turkish parliamentarian and the COEPA Justice Commission member, Jurgens said he would give up his decion in case Akcali withdraws his amendment proposals that were given earlier.
Jurgens later withdrew his proposals which will accuse the Turkish army after the sides agree.
The report will be voted in Strasbourg in January 21-25 at a meeting of COEPA.
COEPA's Cyprus rapporteur Hungarian parliamentarian Andreas Barsony prepared the report which welcomed the direct talks between the TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides. The report wants all the concerned sides to exert efforts for the success of this initiative.
The report and a recommendatory decision wanted the European Union (EU) to increase dialogue with the TRNC, and points out that the EU officials should meet the Turkish Cypriot officials, as they did with the Greek Cypriot officials.
The report wanted Denktas and Clerides to be promoted for the solution of the problem. The report also calls on the two communities to search for a formula which will provide all the Cypriots to benefit from the EU membership, to clarify the fate of the missing persons, and to open the two sides of the island to the visitors.