Turkey is responsible for this geographical area

The negotiations on the Cyprus problem continuing since November 2002 has come to a deadlock on the 10th of March 2003. This period of 5 months was a very important turning point for the Cyprus problem especially containing important experiences concerning the Turkish Cypriot youth, as well as making the big majority of the Turkish Cypriot community realize that Denktash and his circles no longer represent them but on the contrary pose a big danger for their future.

YBH Youth had defined clearly this situation in its final conclusions of the conference, saying:

‘YBH Youth calls on the representatives of the regime to give up their positions to the real representatives, that is the people and quit politics. They should know that it’s no longer possible to carry on the current regime. There’s no longer tolerance for any pretense. If there are still those who would like to take part in the showcase created by the regime, people living on this soil need to get rid of them.’

In the final conclusions of the conference of 22 February 2003, methods of solutions was also stressed. With the stress on ‘there is hope’ against hopelessness, YBH Youth had clearly defined its ideas about this geographical area:

‘It is not possible to solve the problems by assuming positions with no authority under the prevailing system and therefore it is useless to take such positions in the showcase prepared by the regime. This is a country where elections cannot take part according to international law, where the Turkish Embassy and the Turkish Aid Mission is authorized like a governor in a province of Turkey. The army is not within its camps but in every aspect of daily life and can intervene at any time and to anything. Military authorities have full dominance over the civil bureaucracy. Under these prevailing conditions, YBH Youth stresses that a ‘New Cyprus is Possible!’ under the slogan ‘Freedom, democracy, equality RIGHT NOW!’ while struggling against those who create hopelessness…’

YBH Youth has been showing that there is an administration governed in full by directives for many years on northern Cyprus. And there are many international documents, statements and reports on this subject.

Recently the European Court of Human Rights, had stressed the dominance of Turkey here at its decision number 20652/92 in the case brought to the court by Ahmet An against Turkey. The decision was the following:

‘It was not necessary to determine whether Turkey actually exercised detailed control over the policies and actions of the ‘TRNC’ authorities. It was obvious from the large number of troops engaged in active duties in northern Cyprus that the Turkish army exercised effective control over that part of the island. Such control entailed her responsibility for the policies and actions of the ‘TRNC’’

The EU Commission, in its official statement of 11th March 2003 asked for more efforts to be shown for a solution, pointing out especially Turkey and said:

‘The Commission encourages all parties concerned, in particular Turkey, to strive to achieve a settlement.’

At this point it is quite funny to hear the claim of the authorities of Turkey that there is no decision relating the Cyprus problem with the relationship of Turkey with EU. According to the decision taken at the EU Summit on the 12th of December 1997 in Luxembourg, it is stated that:

‘The European Council recalls that strengthening Turkey’s links with the European Union also depends on that… support for negotiations under the aegis of the UN on a political settlement in Cyprus on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.’

And despite all the statements of the authorities of Turkey, in the Helsinki Summit decision of 11th of December 1999, it was stated that the solution of the Cyprus problem was not a precondition for the membership of the Cyprus Republic to the EU:

‘The European Council underlines that a political settlement will facilitate the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. If no settlement has been reached by the completion of accession negotiations, the Council’s decision on accession will be made without the above being a precondition. In this the Council will take account of all relevant factors.’

Meanwhile the Republic of Turkey had guaranteed the protection of the constitutional order of the Republic of Cyprus by signing the Treaty of Guarantee on the 16th of August 1960 and ever since 1974, it has created another authority in the northern part of the island, trampling international law. The relevant paragraph of the Treaty of Guarantee is:

‘Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, taking note of the undertakings of the Republic of Cyprus set out in Article 1 of the present Treaty, recognize and guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus and also the state of affairs established by the Basic Articles of its Constitution.’

It is known quite well that there are such definitions on a lot of documents.

The dominance of Turkey in the northern part of Cyprus is clear without a doubt. For this reason, Turkey, as the guardian with full authority over the regime in the north must fill its responsibilities and must sign all the necessary agreements for the solution of the Cyrus problem.

The need for international solidarity of youth for the solution of the Cyprus problem is a necessity.

We as YBH Youth will make a press declaration on the 5th of April 2003 in front of the Embassy of Turkey in the northern part of Cyprus and will declare these views there.

That’s why we call on all international youth organizations to gather in front of the Embassies of Turkey in their countries and show their international solidarity with us, reminding the Republic of Turkey its responsibilities.

YBH Youth Executive Committee