Cyprus-Forum.com

[RAFAELLA]

Turkey responsible for illegal immigration in Cyprus
27/05/2008

Turkey will have to assume responsibility with regard to illegal immigration in Cyprus, whose northern areas it occupies since 1974, a European Parliament Committee has said.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs is determined to call on the competent European Commissioner in order to urge Turkey to undertake responsibility regarding the problem of illegal immigration in Cyprus, Committee President Martine Roure told a press conference here today.

Speaking at the end of a two-day visit here by a Committee delegation, she said the purpose of the visit was to evaluate the reception places of asylum seekers and the conditions under which illegal immigrants are being kept.

She said that the number of detainees here is relatively small, around 200 persons and expressed satisfaction with the fact that “here asylum seekers have freedom of movement, which we very much appreciate.”

On the other hand, Roure expressed dismay at the lengthy procedures required for the examination of applications for political asylum and stressed the need to speed up this process.

She also mentioned that the delegation visited detention centres here, meaning state prisons, and found them to be clean and without any particular problems in comparison, as she said, with similar establishments in other countries, which she described as “hell.”

As she noted, the majority of illegal immigrants arrive in the Republic through the northern Turkish occupied areas, something she said is “a serious problem which Turkey is to blame for.”

“Turkey applied to join the EU and so it must take its responsibilities and show solidarity,” she said, adding that the Green Line – dividing the occupied areas from the southern government controlled part of the country – “is very difficult to be monitored by the Republic authorities.”

She assured that the Committee in the forthcoming days will be calling on the competent European Commissioner to urge Turkey to take its responsibilities on the matter.

Asked to say whether complains have been forwarded to the committee from non-governmental organisations as regards as the detention conditions of immigrants and incidents of torture against them, she pointed out the

Responding to questions, she said the Committee delegation “had the opportunity to speak with detainees freely and none of them had mentioned anything about torture against them.”

http://www.financialmirror.com/more_new ... t=Politics

[Nikitas]

Rafaella,

The transportation of illegal immigrants via Turkey has become an industry operated by the Turkish underworld. Hardly a day goes by without some boat carrying people who paid thousands of dollars ending up in Greek or Italian waters. Against this background it was obvious that Cyprus would be a major target once it joined the EU.

The only surprise is that it took four years for the EU parliament to wake up to the facts.

[Viewpoint]

Rafaella,

The transportation of illegal immigrants via Turkey has become an industry operated by the Turkish underworld. Hardly a day goes by without some boat carrying people who paid thousands of dollars ending up in Greek or Italian waters. Against this background it was obvious that Cyprus would be a major target once it joined the EU.

The only surprise is that it took four years for the EU parliament to wake up to the facts.

The important point is what will they do about it? absolutely nothing.

[Nikitas]

Well, there is talk about a joint EU coast guard. It all depends on what the Italians and the French will decide to do about this, since they are the main destination for the majority of boat people. Once there is an EU coast guard the situation is no longer a police issue, it becomes political since the coast guard will take the Greek-Turkish frontier and turn it into an EU-Turkey frontier.

[turkkan]

Once there is an EU coast guard the situation is no longer a police issue, it becomes political since the coast guard will take the Greek-Turkish frontier and turn it into an EU-Turkey frontier

What dreams. So you are seriously proposing that there will be an EU coast guard patrolling the TRNC waters?

[Magnus]

Once there is an EU coast guard the situation is no longer a police issue, it becomes political since the coast guard will take the Greek-Turkish frontier and turn it into an EU-Turkey frontier

What dreams. So you are seriously proposing that there will be an EU coast guard patrolling the TRNC waters?

I would have thought the Greek-Turkish frontier lies between Greece and Turkey and the idea of a joint coastguard is very possible if the French initiative for a Mediterranean Union go ahead.

Does the 'TRNC' actually have officially recognised 'waters'? I thought they belong to the Republic of Cyprus but are under illegal occupation.

[turkkan]

THe french inititiave might very well go ahead for an EU coast guard but it is quite ridiciulous to beleive that any non-turkish coast guard will ever contemplate entering the waters of northern cyprus without permission from the north. This mediterranean union has nothing to do with this, the main reason that wild idea was created by Sarkozy was to give turkey an alternative to the EU membership, i doubt its going to be used as a tool against turkey now.

[bill cobbett]

Are we counting the 10,000s of illegal "settlers" brought to the north by the RoT in this debate?

[Oracle]

Are we counting the 10,000s of illegal "settlers" brought to the north by the RoT in this debate?

I believe those were brought over in an "official" capacity and constitute as VIP - "immigrants" ...

[Nikitas]

"What dreams. So you are seriously proposing that there will be an EU coast guard patrolling the TRNC waters?"

The problem in CYprus is different from that faced by Greece and Italy. In Cyprus immigrants are allowed to land "legally" in the TRNC and then they make their way south via gaps in the Green Line.

In Greece and Italy there is illegal landing of people on remote beaches by Turkish owned boats. It is for these instances that the coast guard is proposed. Greece has 16000 kilometers of coast line, Italy less, but still within reach of the illegal transporters. It is against these people that the coast guard is proposed, not to police Cyprus waters. Where on earth did you get that interpretation from?