Turkish Cypriots betrayed by language decision

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 28th Nov 2003

London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has expressed strong regret at the decision not to make Turkish an official language of the EU from May 2004 when Cyprus joins the Union.

This situation arises because the Republic of Cyprus has nominated only Greek as an official language, even though both Greek and Turkish are its official languages under the Constitution, and the European Commission and EU Council of Ministers have not protested.

In practice this means that Turkish Cypriots who do not speak Greek or English cannot apply for jobs in the EU institutions.

Sarah Ludford commented:

"I am very disappointed that neither the Commission nor European governments resisted this unimaginative gesture by the Republic of Cyprus. The EU must do better than this if it is to promote support among all Cypriot communities for a solution to the division of the island."

"The Republic of Cyprus enjoys international and EU recognition of legal sovereignty over the whole island. The counterpart should be to act in the spirit of equality and seek to deliver practical representation of its Turkish Cypriot citizens."

"Just think of the impact in terms of stretching out the hand of friendship and reconciliation if the Cyprus government had asserted the claim of Turkish to be an official EU language from next May. It is hardly fair to criticise Turkish Cypriots for their isolation, but then reject an opportunity to draw them out of it."