Famagusta Debate
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BRIEFING PAPER Number 7387, 16 November 2015 By Arabella Lang Famagusta debate Inside: 1. The Famagusta dispute 2. Cyprus settlement negotiations 3. Appendix www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | [email protected] | @commonslibrary Number 7387, 16 November 2015 2 Contents Summary 3 1. The Famagusta dispute 4 1.1 Backbench business debate 4 1.2 What happened to Famagusta? 4 1.3 Proposals 5 2. Cyprus settlement negotiations 6 2.1 UN negotiations 6 Recent developments 6 Up to 2014 7 2.2 Cyprus-EU relations 8 2.3 Cyprus-UK relations 10 3. Appendix 12 3.1 European Parliament declaration 12 3.2 Security Council resolutions 12 Cover page image copyright: Chamber-070 by UK Parliament image. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 / image cropped. 3 Famagusta debate Summary The House of Commons is debating a Backbench Business motion on Famagusta on 16 November 2015. It calls for the Cypriot city of Famagusta to be returned by Turkey to its ‘lawful inhabitants’. After the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, Famagusta became part of the ‘Turkish Republic of North Cyprus’ (TRNC). The TRNC operates a large free port and zone at Famagusta, although the Republic of Cyprus has declared this closed. A section of Famagusta called Varosha has remained closed off by the Turkish military since 1974, becoming a ghost town. Famagusta is often seen as one of the keys to a permanent settlement for Cyprus and to unblocking Turkey’s stalled EU accession process. UN-sponsored negotiations for a permanent settlement for Cyprus restarted in 2015 following the election of a new leader in the TRNC. Problematic issues still include power- sharing, security, residence and citizenship, and property issues. The talks have carried on in fits and starts since the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan plan for a permanent settlement in a 2004 referendum. Number 7387, 16 November 2015 4 1. The Famagusta dispute 1.1 Backbench business debate The House of Commons is debating a Backbench Business motion on Famagusta on 16 November 2015. It calls for the Cypriot city of Famagusta to be returned by Turkey to its ‘lawful inhabitants’. That this House supports the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based ona bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council Resolutions and the High Level Agreements; endorses the Declaration of the European Parliament of 14 February 2012 on the return of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants; notes that the city of Famagusta in the Republic of Cyprus was captured by the invading Turkish forces in August 1974, that a section of Famagusta was then sealed off and remains uninhabited, under the direct control of the Turkish military, and that the return of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants would facilitate efforts toward a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem; further notes the 1979 High Level Agreement and UN Security Council Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992) and the 2008 Report of the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament on Petition 733/2004; calls on the government of Turkey to act according to those UN Security Council Resolutions and Report Recommendations and return Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants, who must resettle under conditions of security and peace; urges the Government, as a guarantor power of Cyprus, to promote Turkey's cooperation; and directs the Speaker to forward this Resolution to President Nicos Anastasiades, Mr Mustafa Akinci,the UN Secretary General and the government of Turkey. 1.2 What happened to Famagusta? Famagusta (Gazimağusa in Turkish) is a historic port city on the east coast of Cyprus. It is in the (unrecognised) ‘Turkish Republic of North Cyprus’ (TRNC), above the UN buffer zone that divides the north from the (Greek Cypriot) south: It is the de facto capital of Gazimağusa district of the TRNC, and the de jure capital of the Famagusta district (Paralimni, to the south, is currently serving as the Greek Cypriots’ district capital). 5 Famagusta debate A section of Famagusta called Varosha has remained closed off by the Turkish military since they invaded the town in 1974. It was a modern beach resort largely inhabited by Greek Cypriots, who fled at the time of the Turkish occupation. It is now a ghost town. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) operates a large free port and zone at Famagusta. But in 1974 the Republic of Cyprus declared all airports and ports in the area not under its effective control – including Famagusta – closed. It argued that, as the internationally recognised authority, it could not guarantee vessels’ safety. All EU and UN member states (other than Turkey) respect the closure of those ports and airports. Turkey responded by closing its ports to Cyprus-flagged and/or managed vessels, and vessels whose last port of call was Cyprus. This breaches the EU-Turkey customs union and has resulted in eight of Turkey’s EU accession negotiating ‘chapters’ for EU membership being frozen. Opening up Famagusta port could therefore have far-reaching consequences. A Library note from 2009, Cyprus: a political and economic overview,1 explains Cyprus’s history and constitutional arrangements, including independence from the UK in 1960 and division between the Greek south and Turkish north in 1974. Other Library briefings include: • Property disputes in north Cyprus, SN05663, 28 July 2010 • In brief: a closed window in Cyprus?, SN05664, 28 July 2010 1.3 Proposals Under the 2004 Annan peace plan – accepted by Turkish but not Greek Cypriots in twin referendums – the Turkish Cypriots would have been able to operate Famagusta port as part of the Turkish Cypriot state, and Varosha would have been returned to its Greek Cypriot owners. Doing this could unblock Turkey’s stalled EU accession process. In 2010 the then President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, proposed that Turkey hand over Varosha to the UN in return for the Republic of Cyprus opening the port of Famagusta to commercial transactions with the EU.2 In 2012 there were reports that Turkey was considering allowing the former residents of Famagusta to return, but keeping the city under TRNC administration, if the Cyprus peace talks did not reach a conclusion by 1 July 2012 when Cyprus took over the EU presidency.3 The Turkish proposal did not materialise. Greek Cypriots would consider it a breach of UN Security Council resolutions on Famagusta which call for the area to be transferred to the UN. 1 Commons Library Standard Note 5208, 4 November 2009 2 “Famagusta becomes key to Cyprus reunification”, EurActiv, 12 October 2010 3 “Famagusta mayor calls on president to take action”, Cyprus Mail, 12 April 2012 Number 7387, 16 November 2015 6 2. Cyprus settlement negotiations Since the Greek Cypriots rejected the ‘Annan Plan’ for a permanent settlement in 2004, negotiations have sputtered along with limited progress. 2.1 UN negotiations The negotiations are facilitated by the UN’s special adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide. The talks are based on the agreed formula of a unified State of Cyprus with a single sovereignty, single international personality and a single citizenship, in a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as described in a series of UN Security Council resolutions. The problematic issues include: • Power-sharing: in general, Greek Cypriots want to keep as much power as possible with the federal government and ensure that the new state is a continuation of the Republic of Cyprus, whereas Turkish Cypriots want to keep as much power as possible within the two ‘constituent states’ and ensure that their own entity is treated as an equal founder.4 • Security: the status of Turkish troops and of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee. • Residence and citizenship rights of settlers from mainland Turkey. • Property issues: there are thousands of claims to ownership of properties from people displaced during the events of 1974. Recent developments The election in April 2015 of Mustafa Akinci, a centre-left moderate, as president of the unrecognised TRNC rekindled optimism over the talks: The recent election of Mustafa Akinci as Turkish Cypriot leader is widely seen as a game-changer - one that has significantly increased the chances of finding a solution. His first act on assuming office was to abolish the "entry visa" for visitors to northern Cyprus - something that had long angered Greek Cypriots. For the first time since Greek Cypriots rejected the UN's 2004 reunification plan, the communities now have leaders with both the will and political acumen necessary to reach a solution.5 In May 2015 the UN special adviser, Espen Barth Eide, announced that the restarted comprehensive settlement negotiations between Mr Akinci and the Greek Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades had yielded their first tangible results, with decisions to open new crossings and interconnecting electricity grids on the island. Negotiations are currently 4 International Crisis Group, Cyprus: Reunification or Partition?, Europe Report N°201, 30 September 2009, p4 5 ‘Cyprus peace talks: Rocky road to reunification’, BBC news online, 16 June 2015 7 Famagusta debate in an ‘intensive’ phase, with six meetings between the leaders scheduled for November and almost daily meetings between the negotiating teams.6 In October 2015 the Cyprus Government – which continues to oppose reopening EU membership talks with Turkey7 – said it could remove its veto on Turkish EU accession if Famagusta was returned. It had the support of Germany’s leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, who met Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu in an attempt to secure Ankara’s support in stemming the migrant influx into the EU. Davutoglu was reported as describing the moves to foster collaboration between the EU and Ankara as a “better approach”.8 In mid-November 2015 the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, said it was clear the EU's salvation lay with Turkey.