Cyprus: Dispute (Hansard, 23 February 1995)

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, we expect all blockades that have resulted from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be lifted as part of an overall peace settlement. In the meantime, we have urged all countries in the region at least to allow the transit of humanitarian aid. The UN Secretary-General is continuing his good offices mission, which is designed to secure a peaceful, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus dispute. We actively support his efforts and joined in securing UN Security Council Resolution 789, which called for reductions in the number of Turkish troops in northern Cyprus.

§ Lord Hylton
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer, in particular the first part. Does he agree that NATO is brought into disrepute as an alliance of democratic countries when one of its members is in long-term breach of international law as regards its neighbouring states and the civil liberty of its own population?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, we believe that it is of the greatest importance that all countries abide by the norms of civilised international behaviour. It is an important element of our policy to ensure that this occurs. NATO's role is the collective defence of its member states and the preservation of peace in Europe, in which it has been most successful.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, has the United Nations attempted to bring representatives of both Governments to a neutral place in order thoroughly to examine the situation? As a result of reading about events and visiting these places, it appears that both countries would welcome an invitation although they are not prepared to invite one another. That is a role that the United Nations should fulfil and perhaps Her Majesty's Government should urge it so to do.

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, I assume that the noble Lord, Lord Molloy, is referring to northern Cyprus. The United Nations has a long involvement in the difficult problems facing Cyprus. We believe that it is doing everything that can possibly be done to bring the relevant parties together.

§ Baroness Cox
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that Turkey's six-year blockade of Armenia has caused great suffering, especially during the winter months when for days Yerevan has no electricity and temperatures are minus 20 degrees, with all that that means for old people and children as well as causing 1251 devastation to the economy? Will my noble friend give an assurance that Turkey's current request to participate in the peace-keeping process and to send military personnel for the peace-keeping forces in the conflict with Karabakh is outrageous and will receive no sympathetic consideration until the blockade is lifted?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, my noble friend is right in describing the terrible domestic conditions in Armenia. We believe that the right way forward in trying to resolve the outstanding and considerable difficulties is through the offices of the OSCE, in particular the Minsk group, which was a British initiative and is currently co-chaired by the Swedes and the Russians. We would welcome any genuine efforts that bring about the cessation of hostilities, followed up by a political settlement.

§ Baroness Jeger
My Lords, will Her Majesty's Government make absolutely clear to the Turkish Government that until they observe the standards of human rights that have been laid down by the United Nations, and until they appreciate the importance of accepting UN resolutions on Cyprus, there can be no question of them being allowed to join the European Union or any trade association connected therewith?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, as I explained in an earlier answer, we believe that it is important that the proper norms of civilised international behaviour are observed. The Government have on numerous occasions drawn to the attention of the Turkish authorities our concerns about human rights abuses and other problems in that country. Nevertheless, we are anxious to try to bring forward changes that will put an end to such evils. We believe that the best way of doing so is to work with the people in public life in Turkey who want to see those changes. We do not wish to isolate them and merely give benefit to those who wish for the continuation of oppressive behaviour.

§ Lord Monson
My Lords, I am sure that my noble friend Lord Hylton is right about Armenia. However, as regards Cyprus, does the Minister agree that the overwhelming majority of the present population of northern Cyprus wants the Turkish Army to stay, in exactly the same way as, for example, the great majority of the present population of the Sudetenland want the Czech Army to stay and the great majority of the present population of Haifa and Jaffa want the Israeli Army to stay?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, I am sure that the people of Cyprus would like to see lasting peace in their country. In order to achieve that, we must proceed through the arrangements which the United Nations has in place and with which it is trying to proceed. We supported the United Nations Security Council Resolution 789 of 1992 which called for a reduction in the level of foreign troops and we reiterated that position at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Cyprus in 1993.

§ Lord Finsberg
My Lords, will my noble friend give the House any further information about the talks on 1252 confidence-building measures which have resulted in at least two meetings between President Clerides and Mr. Denktash? Has there been any progress along the lines suggested by, for example, the Council of Europe?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, as my noble friend explained, there have been talks between the Turkish Cypriots and the Cyprus Government on a number of matters, including the confidence-building measures. While progress has been made, no progress has been made overall. We are urging the parties, as is the United Nations, to have further talks in an endeavour to take matters forward.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, if the Turkish Government do not bring to an end within six months that blockade which is causing so much suffering in Armenia, is there not a strong case for expelling them from NATO?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, we are anxious to resolve the problems in Armenia. That would not necessarily be achieved satisfactorily by taking a legalistic view of the problems.

§ The Earl of Shannon
My Lords, as the country is a co-signatory, along with Armenia and Turkey, to the Helsinki Final Act, Clause 6 of which says that the signatories will not attempt to coerce each other by any means—economic or otherwise—could not the Government take more positive action over that blockade of Armenia? We should remember that 24th April of this year will mark the 80th anniversary of the slaughter in 1915 of one and a half million Armenians as a means of ethnic cleansing.

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, as I explained earlier, we believe that the best way to solve the problems of Armenia is through the OSCE-Minsk initiative.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, while I accept the dangers of isolating those in favour of democracy and human rights in Turkey, will the Minister tell the House whether pressures have been brought to bear, and if so, what effect they have had on the Turkish Government in the context of negotiations with the European Union over a customs union with Turkey?

§ Lord Inglewood
My Lords, we have frequently drawn those matters to the attention of the Turkish authorities, most recently at the Quint meeting in London at the beginning of this month.