HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc657-8W
Mr. Dismore

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conduct of the election in Northern Cyprus with particular reference to(a) legal action against the media, with reference to the cases of (i) Murat Kanatli, (ii) Basaran Duzgun, (iii) Hasan Hasturer, (iv) Suleyman Erguclu, (v) Hasan Kahvecioglu and (vi) Mehmet Davuleu, (b) the recent incidents involving the Peace and Democracy Movement, (c) the television interview by Mr. Denktash in which he claimed that Turkish Cypriots would be raped by Greek Cypriots, (d) the protest at Doganci (Elye) on 25 March and (e) the extent to which citizenship is being extended to settlers from mainland Turkey. [138777]

Mr. MacShane

The elections in north Cyprus on 14 December are of pivotal importance to the future of the island. This is an important opportunity for Turkish Cypriots to decide their own future. It is essential that these elections should be conducted in a transparent and democratic manner, free from interference. We are calling on all those who have influence, including Turkey, to help ensure the elections in the north are free and fair. We welcome indications from the Turkish Government of the importance they attach to this.

With regard to legal action against the media, we are deeply concerned about any attempts to limit press freedom. On the particular cases raised, we condemn the physical attack on the journalist Murat Kanatli, reportedly by the 'Grey Wolves' group in north Cyprus. The five further journalists mentioned were charged with a range of offences, including insulting the Turkish Security Forces and undermining the "state". These charges relate to articles reporting events at Doganci (Elye) on 25 March 2003, when opposition parties and pro-solution forces tried to hold a symbolic referendum in support of the Annan Plan. The police raided the protest, an army contingent removed the "ballot box" and the organisers were arrested. The timing of these prosecutions (seven months after the event) adds weight to the assertion that the indictments are politically motivated. Furthermore, we are concerned by reports that a number of these cases will be tried in a military court.

On the recent incidents involving the Peace and Democracy movement, we are concerned about reports of attacks on their party headquarters.

We do not wish to offer detailed comments on the remarks attributed to Mr Denktash. If he did say such things, it was clearly intended to be inflammatory.

We continue to have concerns about the number of "settlers" who have recently been granted citizenship in north Cyprus. The fact that this took place in such numbers immediately before an election is undermining confidence in the electoral process. The opposition in northern Cyprus has applied to the "Higher Electoral Council" (YSK) for an injunction barring those who have become citizens since the municipal elections in June 2002 from voting in the elections on 14 December. We await a ruling on that particular issue. The Turkish Cypriot courts have already barred two hundred people from voting in the elections who had been granted citizenship by the "Council of Ministers".

We will continue to monitor the situation in Cyprus very closely in the build up to elections on 14 December.