Turkey

HC Deb 23 January 2001 vol 361 cc789-91

6. Mr. Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy)

When he last had discussions with the Prime Minister of Turkey; and if he will make a statement. [145038]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Keith Vaz)

My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met Mr. Ecevit briefly at the European Council in Nice in December. The Prime Minister also had a bilateral meeting with him in January last year, when they discussed Turkey's EU candidacy, Greek-Turkish relations, EU-Turkey bilateral relations, the Caucasus, NATO and European defence. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary meets the Foreign Minister of Turkey regularly, most recently in Brussels in December.

Mr. Llwyd

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. Has anyone in his Department spoken to the Turkish Government about the plight of the 25,000 Kurdish people who are to be forcibly displaced to make way for the Ilisu dam? If no representations have been made, where is that ethical foreign policy?

Mr. Vaz

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we raise that matter whenever we have a discussion with our Turkish counterparts. The President of the Board of Trade has made it clear that four conditions, which he has set down, must be met before he is prepared to accede to the request for cover for the Ilisu dam. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we shall continue to raise those issues until we are satisfied that all of those conditions are met.

Mr. Jon Owen Jones (Cardiff, Central)

What sort of ethical Government foreign policy denies the genocide of Armenians in Turkey—even though the British Government at the time the genocide took place acknowledged it—because a powerful ally in NATO refuses to acknowledge the sins of the past?

Mr. Vaz

The Government's foreign policy is not based on what other countries would like us to do. We have made clear our policy on that issue. That was a sad and sensitive event in the history of Armenia; that remains the position.

Sir David Madel (South-West Bedfordshire)

Do the Turkish Government accept that if Cyprus joins the European Union, there must be complete freedom of movement throughout the island? Therefore, when is the Turkish army going to leave and what is the Turkish Government's response when the Minister points out to them—as I hope he does—that Turkey must leave Cyprus, which must be restored as an independent state, and that there must be complete freedom of movement if Cyprus joins the EU?

Mr. Vaz

We are in complete agreement with the talks that are going on. As the hon. Gentleman will know, the proximity talks are important. We have a special representative, Sir David Hannay, who is dealing with those matters. Of course the issue concerns the EU. We have made clear our position on Cyprus's application to join the EU. We would prefer a united island to join, but unity is not a precondition of membership. All countries involved in that issue are aware of the position, and we shall continue to do everything that we possibly can to accept and follow the statement of the Prime Minister in December 1998, when he made it clear that he wanted to see matters resolved.

Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)

What do the Turks say about the use of their Incerlik air base in Anatolia for the purpose, last Saturday, of bombing an Iraqi cattle feed factory, killing six Iraqi cowherds?

Mr. Vaz

As my hon. Friend knows, Turkey is a NATO ally and has worked with the United Kingdom on a number of different conflicts. It is an ally on which we rely. As for the particular issue that he has raised, I give an assurance that I shall raise it with the Turkish ambassador when I see him this week.

Mr. Francis Maude (Horsham)

Will the Minister acknowledge that the Turkish Government have real concerns about the creation of a European rapid reaction force outside NATO? Will he stop trying to pretend to the contrary?

Mr. Vaz

No.

Mr. Maude

Last June, the Foreign Secretary said that "they"—the non-EU NATO members— recognise that it is an excellent outcome for them.—[Official Report, 15 June 2000; Vol. 351, c. 1124.] The Prime Minister of Turkey has said: Turkey's rights … are being trampled on … EU military decisions with regard to NATO will be … made in our absence. It is impossible for us to accept this—[Interruption.]

Mr. Denis MacShane (Rotherham)

The right hon. Gentleman is speaking for Turkey.

Mr. Maude

It is the Prime Minister of Turkey who will speak for Turkey. Who can we trust to represent the Turkish Government's view—the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary or the Turkish Prime Minister?

Mr. Vaz

We have made it absolutely clear that NATO remains the bedrock of our defence policy. We have explained that so many times to the right hon. Gentleman that I feel at pains to have to explain it again to him. On every single occasion, we are consulting and discussing with Turkey as a NATO ally. Turkey is relaxed about what we are proposing to do. When it has concerns, it discusses them within the proper parameters of the continuing discussions on defence policy. We do not have to discuss those concerns with the Conservative party.