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WRITTEN QUESTION E-2661/03
by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE)
to the Commission
Subject: Missing persons in Cyprus
While Cyprus prepares to join the EU next year, and Turkey
is an applicant state, the issue of missing persons, believed to have been
killed or apprehended at the time of the Turkish invasion of the island in
1974, is as yet unresolved.
With reference to the Commission’s response of 2 May 2001
to Question E-0506/01,
when it was stated that the ‘matter can be further addressed in the
framework of the Union’s enhanced political dialogue with Turkey’, can the
Commission report on what progress has been made on this issue?
E-2661/03EN
Answer given by Mr Verheugen
on behalf of the Commission
(1 October 2003)
Mr Clerides and Denktash met in June and July 2002 to
exchange proposals on the issue of missing persons. The basis for this
exchange was their agreement of 31 July 1997. The Greek Cypriot side
proceeded with its programme of exhumations and identifications in areas
under its control. Investigations are carried out by the United States
(US) funded bi-communal Institute for Neurology and Genetics. The Turkish
Cypriot side has not yet designated scientists who would work with the
Institute. Currently, the United Nations tries to resume work of the
Committee of Missing Persons.
In its set of measures vis-à-vis the Turkish Cypriots of
30 April 2003 the Government of the Republic announced several measures
regarding relatives of missing and killed Turkish Cypriots (Appendix E).
The measures provide inter alia for access to information, meetings
between relatives of missing persons and Government officials, exploratory
excavations of burial places, and arrangements for the establishment of a
DNA Bank. A list of 500 Turkish Cypriots whose cases have been submitted
to the Committee of Missing Persons was published by the Government of the
Republic in Turkish Cypriot newspapers on 14 June 2003. The Commission has
also learned that information concerning the fate of 201 missing Turkish
Cypriots was officially conveyed to the International Committee of the Red
Cross by Government authorities.
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