Zimmer: Pressure should continue to be exerted on Turkey regarding Cyprus
Gabi Zimmer, chairwoman of the Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left has said her aim is to secure that pressure will continue to be exerted on Turkey to change its stance on the Cyprus problem.
Zimmer was speaking during a meeting in Nicosia with nine GUE/NGL MEPs to discuss the Cyprus problem with leaders of the left-wing political party, AKEL.
The main items on the agenda included the current situation in Cyprus in view of the continuing for 41 years Turkish occupation of the northern part of the country, the state of play in the negotiations and potential solutions to the most difficult aspects of the problem.
In a joint press conference at the GUE/NGL External Bureau Meeting, with AKEL General Secretary Andros Kyprianou, Zimmer said that the Cyprus problem is perhaps the most important unresolved issue before the European Union and “for many years we have been waiting for the EU to undertake a more active role for its resolution”.
Speaking in German through an interpreter, Zimmer said “we are here because we want to give the message that we will do whatever we can to promote a solution to the Cyprus problem”.
She said there is a very serious instability in the wider region and it is imperative for Cyprus to play a stabilizing role in the region as it is very close to the terrorism line.
It could, she added, “play a more important role if it was united, which is our wish”. However, this is not the case yet, adding it is very important for us that the European institutions contribute to a solution and undertake the responsibility as European institutions to handle these problems.
She referred to the attacks in Syria and the negotiations with Turkey to resolve the refugee crisis. This, she noted, ” does not mean that we should forget the responsibilities that the EU has with regards to a possible accession of Turkey to the EU.” The EU and the European Parliament, she said, have stressed that the chapters that have been frozen for Turkey`s EU accession can be opened only when the conditions have been fulfilled for that.
Zimmer said she did not agree with some EU countries, including Germany, which are under the pressure of the increasing refugee influxes, being ready to make concessions to Turkey in the hope that the latter will help alleviate the problem.
“This is not a responsible stance”, she said, adding that Turkey should keep its commitments towards the EU both in regards to freedom inside the country and handling minorities, otherwise we will find ourselves in a position where the negotiations will prove unproductive.
“We want to assure that they will continue to exert pressure on Turkey to alter its stance on the Cyprus problem”, she added.
AKEL General Secretary Kyprianou said that the opportunities nowadays for a solution should not be wasted.
Kyprianou thanked the GUE/NGL group for its stable support , adding that it consistently supports efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
