The following Lobby for Cyprus letter was sent to the Independent of London on 12 October 2002.

It may come as a surprise to Adrian Hamilton (Independent 10 October, 'Exclusion of Turkey is dishonest, stupid and short-sighted') but Turkey's strategic value to the west does not in itself constitute satisfactory qualification for joining the European Union.

While the United States is poised to launch a military onslaught against Iraq for its non-compliance with United Nations resolutions, it seems absurd that Turkey, which violates over 120 UN resolutions in Cyprus, should be considered ready to begin negotiations for EU membership.

Turkey may satify the criteria for joining institutions such as NATO, but the EU insists that prospective members rigidly adhere to the utmost in civilised norms of behaviour. In continuing to illegally occupy 37% of the Republic of Cyprus and preventing 200,000 Cypriot refugees from returning to their occupied homes, Turkey clearly fails to meet the most fundamental of principles for accession to the EU.

It is a credit to the European Commission that in excluding Turkey from the next wave of EU expansion they have shown the courage and boldness to put human rights and the values of a new Europe above strategic interest.

Yours sincerely
Lobby for Cyprus