§ 3. Mr. Andrew Love (Edmonton)If he will make a statement on recent bilateral contacts with Cyprus. [129542]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Keith Vaz)Recent bilateral contact with Cyprus has been both regular and valuable. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met President Clerides in April, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Kasoulides in May. The meetings focused on the current United Nations Cyprus settlement process and the United Kingdom's continuing interest in and support for that process. Sir David Hannay, the UK special representative for Cyprus, is in regular contact with all those in Cyprus who are involved in the settlement process.
§ Mr. LoveThis week sees the 26th anniversary of the invasion of the island, and they have been long, frustrating years for Cypriots waiting for a solution. I welcome resumption of the proximity talks in Switzerland. Can my hon. Friend reassure the House that the Government continue to support a comprehensive solution to the problems in Cyprus that will reunite the island? Can he also confirm that the action that he is taking will lead to those talks being productive?
§ Mr. VazFirst, I congratulate my hon. Friend on all the work that he has done on the issue and on behalf of his many Cypriot constituents. I can reassure him that the Government are doing everything that we possibly can to support the proximity talks. As he knows, the talks will resume next Monday. As I said, Sir David Hannay is our representative. He has visited twice this year to talk to both sides. Our ambition, as set out in the Prime Minister's statement on 23 September 1998, is that there should be a just and lasting settlement. We would like to see a united Cyprus entering the European Union, but that is not a precondition to accession. We shall continue to do everything that we can to propose and support that settlement.
§ Sir David Madel (South-West Bedfordshire)Can Turkey become a full member of the European Union and yet still keep its army in northern Cyprus?
§ Mr. VazThe issue of Turkey's candidacy is quite separate from the issues in Cyprus. Turkey has only just become a candidate for inclusion in the Helsinki accession process, and Turkey will be judged on whether it meets the Copenhagen criteria and on the state of its negotiations. No third country has a veto over the accession of another country into the European Union. We will, of course, be carefully monitoring the situation. We will ensure that we are fully aware of all the negotiation processes.
§ Mr. Andrew Dismore (Hendon)Will my hon. Friend take the opportunity of confirming that the Government will stick to their position that Cyprus's accession to the European Union will not be vetoed by Turkey or by any other country, and that settlement of the Cyprus issue is not a condition for Cyprus to join the European Union? Will he also make it clear to Turkey, in negotiations on its entry, that there can be no prospect of Turkey's joining the European Union unless and until it gets its troops out of Cyprus?
§ Mr. VazAs I have just made clear, and as the Foreign Secretary made it clear on 14 February, we would like to see a united Cyprus entering the European Union. However, that is not a precondition for accession. Cyprus has done extremely well in the negotiations—it has opened 29 of 31 chapters of the acquis, and closed 16 chapters. Turkey does not have a veto over the accession of Cyprus. The issue for Turkey is quite separate: it will have to meet all the criteria. As we have said on many occasions, Turkey is a long way off. It will have to meet the Copenhagen criteria, and it will have to be part of its own negotiation procedures.
§ Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet)In relation to Cyprus's application to join the European Union, will the Minister confirm that the main issues still to be resolved centre mainly on banking and ship registration? Will the Minister further confirm that there is no reason why those and a few other remaining matters cannot be cleared up in, say, six months' time? If so, why should Cyprus have to wait another two years for the sake of diplomatic convenience so that other successful applicants can join at the same time?
§ Mr. VazWe would like Cyprus to join as soon as possible. It has made excellent progress and has opened 29 of the 31 chapters. There are a number of outstanding chapters and difficult negotiations, including banking. We would like Cyprus to join as soon as possible. It is up to the European Union to ensure that the IGC is completed as at the end of this year. Once that is done and the various treaties have been ratified, it will then be for Cyprus to set its own timetable. We are doing everything that we possibly can to help Cyprus as want to see it in the European Union.