The delegation from the European Parliament’s High Level Contact Group for relations with Turkish Cypriots held a press conference at the Ledra Palace yesterday (4 July) to make an evaluation of their contacts.

Stating that the promises given to Turkish Cypriots towards the lifting of the isolation had not been kept, the High Level Contact Group drew attention to the fact that no progress had been achieved in the way of a settlement in Cyprus and stressed that both sides should spend more efforts for dialogue between themselves.

Pointing out that the rapprochement of the two sides depended on their political stance, group members said loss of time was disadvantageous for both Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides.

During the press conference, the Head of the delegation and Socialist Group MEP Mechtild Rothe, Member of European Liberal Democratic Group Karin Resetaris, Member of German Green Party Cem Ozdemir, Member of Confederal Group of European United Left Francis Wurtz and MEP, independent, on the formation of the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty (ITS) Group, Ashley Mote gave speeches.

Head of the delegation Mechtild Rothe explained that the EU High-Level Contact Group for Relations with Turkish Cypriots was established following the April 2004 referendum, with the aim of promoting relations between the EU and Turkish Cypriot people, to create a bridge between the two peoples on the island, thus contributing to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Pointing out that this was their second visit to Cyprus, Rothe said they wanted to help to lift the isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots.

For his part, Karin Resetaris stated that both Turkish and Greek Cypriots as well as the EU was distressed because of the current situation in Cyprus and it was sad to see that no developments and changes had taken place yet in order to overcome this.

Stating that the group members had discussed what could be done about this situation, Resetaris said although they had promised to lift the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people, the isolation was still continuing.

Also speaking, MEP from Green Party Cem Ozdemir pointed out that the High Level Contact Group was established because of the rejection of the Annan Plan by the South as the EU felt the need to have some kind of an institution that stresses the needs of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Reminding that the EU Council took a decision on 26 April 2004 towards lifting the embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, Ozdemir said: “Unfortunately, this has not been realized yet, despite Germany’s intensive efforts spent during its EU Term Presidency to reach reconciliation on this issue.”