ΤURKEY΄S PERSISTENT VETOING OF CYPRUS MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, ARRANGEMENTS, REGIMES AND TREATIES


I. WEAPONS EXPORTS΄ CONTROL REGIMES

A. Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

The MTCR is an informal and voluntary association of countries that share the goals of non-proliferation of unmanned delivery systems, capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. These countries seek to coordinate national export licensing efforts at preventing the proliferation οf such systems.

The Regime was established in 1987 and has 34 member-states. New members are admitted by consensus. Cyprus applied for full membership on 10 July 2003. The meeting of the Plenary takes place once a year. During the Plenary meeting in Copenhagen (2 – 6 October 2006), Turkey exercised its veto against Cyprus΄ application for membership.

In Paris, during a meeting of the Regime΄s Reinforced Points of Contact (12 – 13.4.07), the issue of membership was discussed and Turkey exercised its veto once again against Cyprus. This was repeated last year (10-11.4.08) during the same meeting in Paris.

Greece assumed the Regime΄s Presidency in November 2007, during the Plenary΄s meeting in Athens (5 – 9.11.07), There, Turkey exercised its veto against Cyprus΄ application yet again.

The next Plenary meeting took place in Camberra, Australia (3-7.11.08), during which the issue of Cyprus' membership to the Regime was discussed. Turkey exercised its veto yet again.

Member-States of the Regime convened once more during the Meeting of the Reinforced Points of Contact ( Paris: 29-30.4.09). The issue of membership was not discussed, however.

The next Plenary meeting tοοκ place in Rio 9-13 (November 2009), where Turkey exercised its veto against Cyprus once more.

Paris was the venue of the last Meeting of the Regime's RPoC (14-15.6.10), during which the issue of membership was discussed. Turkey vetoed Cyprus' application once more. Argentina will be the Regime's next President.

B. Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and of Dual-Use Goods and Technologies was established in 1995 and came into force in 1996. It is one of four multilateral export control regimes (the others being MTCR, NSG and the Australia Group) whose purpose is “to contribute to regional and international security and stability, by promoting transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilizing accommodations”. The Arrangement has 40 members and is open, on a global and non-discriminatory basis, to prospective adherents that comply with the agreed criteria. Admission of new participants is based on consensus.

The Arrangement’s Secretariat is based in Vienna. Cyprus applied to become a full member on 27 July 2003.

In the last four years Turkey exercised its veto against Cyprus΄ application for membership nine consecutive times: in May 2005, when the application for membership was discussed, at the General Working Group meeting held in Vienna on 17 – 18 May 2006 and 24 – 25 October 2006, during the Plenary Meetings held in Vienna on December 13 – 14, 2005, on 5 – 6 December, 2006 and on 4 - 6 December 2007 and, at the most recent General Working Group Meetings in Vienna (23 – 24.5.07, 18-19.10.07 and 27-28.5.2008).

At the Plenary Meeting of the Arrangement in 2007, Turkey succeeded in removing Cyprus’s application from the agenda. Cyprus submitted a renewed application to join the Wassenaar Arrangement on 22 April 2008. Turkey objected to Cyprus΄ renewed application during the General Working Group meeting (held in Vienna on 27-28 May 2008), as well as during the following General Working Group Meeting, held in Vienna on 15-16 October 2008. Nonetheless, Cyprus submitted its application, which was examined during the recent Plenary Meeting of the Wassenaar Arrangement (held in Vienna, on 2-3 December 2008). Turkey, once again exercised its veto over Cyprus' application, despite a statement of support to its application by the EU French Presidency. Turkey continued exercising its veto against Cyprus' application, during the latest GWG Meeting (Vienna: 14-15.10.2009).

The Arrangement's next Plenary Meeting took place in Vienna (2-3.12.2009), where Turkey exercised its veto against Cyprus' application yet again. As for the GWG, it met between 26-27 May 2010. The issue of the Cy's application was debated once more. Turkey, however, exercised her veto.


II. INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

Open Skies Treaty

The Open Skies Treaty entered into force in January 2002, and covers territory from Vancouver to Vladivostock.

The Treaty establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the entire territory of its 34 signatories. It is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, the possibility to obtain information on military or other activities of concern to them. Open Skies is the most wide-ranging international effort to date to promote openness and transparency of military forces and their activities.

The implementing body for the Treaty is the Open Skies Consultative Commission (OSCC) . The OSCC meets regularly at the headquarters of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, Austria.

Cyprus submitted its application for membership to the Open Skies Treaty in 2002. The application remains on the Agenda of the Open Skies Consultative Commission however, due to Turkey’s refusal to consent to it. Turkey repeated its position of non-acceptance of Cyprus' application to accede to the Open Skies Treaty most recently at a meeting in Vienna in January 2010 during the Canadian Presidency. Turkey reiterated her position of refusal, which she repeated in late April 2010, under the Croatian Presidency.


III. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

A. Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) was signed in Istanbul on 25 June 1992 and became a full-fledged regional economic organization on 1 May 1999, with the entry into force of its Charter. Its main goal is to promote the economic cooperation between the states that border the Black Sea.
It has twelve member-states: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. The observers are: Egypt, Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, USA, International Black Sea Club, Energy Charter Secretariat, Black Sea Commission and Commission of the EC. Sectoral Dialogue Partners include: Hungary, Iran, Jordan, Montenegro, United Kingdom. The Chairmanship of the Organization is undertaken by the member states in alphabetical order for a six-month period.
It came into existence as a unique and promising model of multilateral political and economic initiative aimed at fostering interaction and harmony among the Member States, as well as to ensure peace, stability and prosperity encouraging friendly and good-neighbourly relations in the Black Sea region.

The Charter of the Organization of 1992 provides for cooperation in, inter alia, the areas of trade and economic development, banking and finance, communications, energy, transport, agriculture and agro-industry.

New members and observers are admitted by consensus.

Cyprus submitted its application for observer status in the BSEC in 1996. It was renewed in 2005, during the Senior Officials meeting (Istanbul: 14–15 September 2005). The issue was next examined in October 2005 (26–28 October) during the 13th session of the Ministerial Conference in Moldova. Turkey, contrary to its obligations emanating from the EU-Turkey Negotiating Framework, exercised a veto and blocked Cyprus΄ participation.

Turkey maintained its opposition to Cyprus΄ application for observer status during the Ministerial Conference, which was held in Moscow (30–31.10.06). The Organisation’s next Meeting tοοk place in Belgrade (17–18.4.07), at the level of Senior Officials, where Cyprus΄ application was examined (it was submitted on 11. 4. 07) and was vetoed by Turkey.

The next Summit meeting took place in Istanbul on 25 June 2007, where Turkey exercised its veto power once again, while assuming the Organization’s Presidency. At the same city, during the next Senior Officials meeting (27.9.07), Turkey exercised its veto against Cyprus΄ application for observer status. The Republic of Cyprus submitted again its application for observer status on 19 February 2008, in view of the Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the BSEC (Istanbul, 26-28 February 2008). The issue of candidatures was not discussed during that Meeting. The latest Ministerial Conference was held in Baku on 22 October 2009. On 1 November 2009 and for the next 6 months, Bulgaria has assumed the Presidency of the Organization.

B. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

The OECD was established in 1961 as the successor to the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC), which had come into being in 1948. The OEEC had emerged from the Marshall Plan and the subsequent establishment of the Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA) for the economic reconstruction of Western Europe. The OECD provides a forum for maximizing economic development and employment within its member states, thus contributing to the world economy.
The Organization has 30 members Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and is based in Paris. New members are admitted by the unanimous consent of the existing member states.

Cyprus΄ application for membership was vetoed by Turkey in 1995 and continues to be vetoed ever since.

Turkey vetoed Cyprus΄ participation in OECD΄s survey of “Teachers, Teaching and Learning” in December 2005 and more recently in April 2006 in OECD΄s “Programme on Educational Building” (PEB) and the survey “Programme for International Student Assessment” (PISA), as well as in the participation of Cyprus (as observer) in OECD΄s Committee on Statistics.

Given the fact that in order to become a member of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Cyprus has to become a member of the OECD, its participation in IEA is prevented by the Turkish veto.

In 2007 (2.3), Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the OECD sent a letter to the Organisation’s Secretary-General Mr. Angel Guerria, by which Ankara refuses to accept any invitation to or participation of the Republic of Cyprus in the OECD΄s deliberations. In his response, Secretary General Guerria criticized Turkey for seeking to introduce its political problem with Cyprus into an Organization that is not an appropriate forum for resolving it. Turkey΄s stance, he added, is also undermining the structures of the OECD and has the potential to lead it into paralysis. This, Mr Guerria noted, is not something that will be tolerated by the Secretariat of the Organization or by its member-states.

Despite such calls, Turkey΄s intransigent stance continues to pose obstacles to the smooth running of the Organization as a whole.

C. Obstacles in the Development of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)

Turkey uses as a preface the 2002 Copenhagen European Council Declaration regarding EU-NATO cooperation in the handling of crisis management and is constantly trying to expand the idea of “strategic partnership” to include anything that concerns EU-NATO relations. Furthermore, Turkey refuses to agree to the expansion of EU-NATO dialogue with the participation of Cyprus, based on the pretext that Cyprus has chosen not to participate in the Partnership for Peace, nor has it concluded a Security of classified information Agreement with NATO.

D. European Centre for Medium – Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF, the Centre) is an independent international organisation supported by 31 States: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom . It is based in Reading, west of London, in the U.K.

It has concluded co-operation agreements with: Czech Republic, Montenegro, Estonia, Croatia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Morocco, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Co-operation agreements have also been concluded with: World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD), Joint Research Centre (JRC), Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), Executive Body of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), European Space Agency (ESA).

Originally a COST (European Co-operation in Science and Technology) project, the Centre was established in 1975 when its Convention entered into force.

The principal objectives of the Centre are: the development of numerical methods for medium-range weather forecasting; the preparation, on a regular basis, of medium-range weather forecasts for distribution to the meteorological services of the Member States; scientific and technical research directed at the improvement of these forecasts; collection and storage of appropriate meteorological data.

The Republic of Cyprus filed its application for membership in 1998 (28.9.1998). It was considered and rejected on 17 June 2002 because of Turkey’s objections. Due to Turkish opposition the consideration of Cyprus’s application during the 66th session of the Organisation in December 2006 was postponed for the next session (28-29.6.2007) during which Turkey vetoed Cyprus’ application once again.

Ε. European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)

EUMETSAT is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1986 to serve a current total of 26 Member States . Another 5 States have signed cooperation agreements with EUMETSAT, each of them contributing 50% of the full membership fee. Cooperating States have the prospect of becoming full members of EUMETSAT and more States are expected to join in the near future. EUMETSAT's primary objective is to establish, maintain and exploit European systems of operational meteorological satellites. EUMETSAT is responsible for the launching and operation of satellites and for delivering satellite data to end-users, as well as contributing to the operational monitoring of climate and the detection of global climate changes. The activities of EUMETSAT contribute to the aims of a global meteorological satellite observing system, coordinated jointly with other space-faring nations.

In 2001 Cyprus showed its interest to join EUMETSAT but the application failed when at the discussions held in the relevant bodies of the Organization Turkey raised severe objections. Without being a member state, Cyprus and EUMETSAT signed an agreement in 2004 for free delivery (under conditions) of certain amount of satellite data. This agreement was renewed once and will expire in November 2010.

F. International Transport Forum (ITF)

Formerly known as the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT). It is an intergovernmental organization established by Protocol signed in Brussels on 17 October 1953. It is a forum in which Ministers responsible for transport and more specifically on the inland transport sector, can cooperate on policy. There are 43 Full Member countries (all the EU member states with the exception of Cyprus), 7 Associate Countries and 1 Observer Country. Cyprus submitted its application for membership for the first time in 1989 (7.6). It was renewed in 2001 (29.8), but was rejected due to Turkey΄s veto.

Since May 2008, during the Ministerial Meeting (Leipzing: 28-30), the Conference was renamed the International Transport Forum (ITF). More than 50 countries from Europe, Asia and the Americas participate in the deliberations of the Forum, which take place annually in Leipzing. Finland presided over the Forum in 2008.

Cyprus΄ application for membership was again vetoed by Turkey at the Ministerial Conference that took place in Dublin between 17- 18 May 2006. The application was resubmitted on 17 May 2007 and 20 February 2008, and was rejected, following Turkey's veto.

During the Ministerial Meeting in Leipzing (May 2008), Cyprus was not invited to participate, under the pretext of not being a member. Leipzing was the venue of the 2d International Transport Forum Meeting (27-29.5.09). Turkey will be presiding over the Forum this year.

This year's Plenary of the ITF took place in Leipzing (26-28 May), during which Germany's Transportation Minister Dr. Peter Ramsauer stated his disapointed over the fact that Cyprus was not participating in the deliberations of the Forum. He expected the situation to change next year. At the same time, Dr. Ramsauer asked Turkey to make positive steps forward in that direction.

G. International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM)

The International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, CIHEAM, was founded at the joint initiative of the OECD and the Council of Europe on 21 May 1962 and now consists of 13 members countries from the Mediterranean Basin (France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Malta, Morocco, Albania and Lebanon). Turkey is a founding member. The Centre is based in Paris.

CIHEAM is made up of a General Secretariat based in Paris and four Mediterranean Agronomic Institutes (MAI) located in Bari (Italy), Chania (Greece), Montpellier (France) and Zaragoza (Spain).
CIHEAM's mission, as stipulated in the 1962 Agreement, consists in "providing supplementary education (economic as well as technical) and developing a spirit of international cooperation among agricultural personnel in Mediterranean countries". According to article 15 of this agreement, every country on the Mediterranean rim is potentially eligible for membership of CIHEAM.

Cyprus΄ application for membership has been vetoed by Turkey three times, the most recent one being during the meeting of the Governing Board, which was held in Algiers in June 2006.

For the time being, the process of admitting new members is frozen. Along with Cyprus, Syria and Croatia are also candidates for admission as full members.

Cyprus' interest in joining the Centre was renewed on 14.9.07, when the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment of the Republic sent a letter to the Secretary General of the Centre Mr. Bertrand Hervieu. According to the latter, during his visit to Turkey the week before, he met in Ankara with the Assistant Under Secretary for Agriculture and Representative of his country to CIHEAM. The Assistant Under Secretary was quite adamant and made clear that his country's opposition to Cyprus' becoming a full member to the Centre was absolute and non-negotiable.

The issue is becoming more complicated by the fact that, as a result of the Turkish position, the new President of the Centre, Mr Abdelaziz Mongou, believes the application of Cyprus should not be on the agenda, in order to avoid any further complications arising from its possible politicization. Needless to emphasize, Cyprus cannot accept such a position and its application for membership shall continue to be on the Centre's agenda.

The General Secretariat has already informed the Board of Governors that Cy's demand will be discussed at the next Governing Board Meeting (10.6.10).


IV. UNITED NATIONS

Conference on Disarmament (CD)

The Conference on Disarmament was established in 1978. It is a multilateral disarmament negotiating forum based in Geneva. The CD is a body of limited composition. It currently consists of 65 member states and takes its decisions on the basis of consensus. As regards the EU, only 16 of its member-states are full members to the Conference. 11 (among them Cyprus) are not.

In June 1996 the CD agreed to expand its membership and Cyprus submitted its application in September 1996. On 25 November 1996 Turkey sent a letter to Ambassador Ludwik Dembinski of Poland, the then President of the Conference, with an attached letter from the Turkish Cypriot Leader Mr. Rauf Denktash. Mr. Denktash disputed the right of the Republic of Cyprus to apply for membership.

On 13 December 1996 the then Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus in Geneva replied by also sending a letter to Ambassador Dembinski in which he contested Turkey’s right to question the legality of the Republic of Cyprus.

Each year, at the beginning of the Conference’s Session, Turkey issues a declaration amounting to a reservation in regard to Cyprus΄ legal status. The last time this happened was in Geneva on 24 January 2006. Recently, Ankara’s tactic changed. On 25 January 2008, the Permanent Representative of Turkey in Geneva (who also presided over the Conference) circulated a letter to all the Member States and the Observers of the Conference, in which he expressed his country’s reservations at Cyprus΄ participating as an Observer. The Permanent Representative of Cyprus at Geneva, on his part, circulated a letter on 21 February 2008, in which he reiterated and stressed Cyprus΄ legal and legitimate right to participate as an observer in the aforementioned Conference.

Turkey repeated its practice on 21 January 2010, to whose letter the Permanent Representative of Cyprus replied accordingly (25.01.2010).

It should be emphasized that both Turkey and Cyprus avoid publicizing their confrontation in the open, and they restrain themselves by circulating letters to all the Member States and the Observers of the Conference, in which they reiterate their well-known positions. This last development is very well appreciated by all Member States and Observers of the Conference.

It should also be noted that there is no consensus among the member states of the Conference as regards the admission of new members. For the time being the issue is in abeyance. This notwithstanding, the French Presidency of the EU - during the last year's meeting of the Plenary in Geneva (9.9.08) - supported the idea of all the EU member states (which are not members of the Conference) becoming full members of the Conference. France and Sweden repeated their support during the meeting of the First Committee of the UN/GA (October-November 2008, October-November 2009). This support was also reflected in the Resolution adopted by the UN/GA First Committee (15/10/09) titled "Report of the Conference on Disarmament." Turkey, on the other hand, voiced its objections to the idea, and in its explanation of vote for the aforementioned Resolution, it proposed instead the examination of each application on a case-by-case basis.






21 June 2010