B3-0410, 0436, 0455 and 0465/94

Resolution on the situation of the Kurds in Turkey

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its earlier resolutions, in particular that of 10 March 1994 on the arrest of Kurdish Members of Parliament in Turkey,

-having regard to the Geneva Convention on Refugees, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Council of Europe's Convention against Torture,

A.whereas six of the eight Kurdish parliamentarians who were arrested on 2 and 4 March 1994 are still being held by the Turkish police,

B.whereas the presence of observers at elections in areas where human rights are under threat helps guarantee the democratic process,

C.whereas three Irish, three British and one New Zealand observer were arrested in March 1994 in south-east Turkey whilst observing the preparations for the local elections; disappointed that the European Union failed to mention the detention of these election observers in its statement of 31 March 1994 on human rights in Turkey,

D.having regard to the reports drawn up and evidence collected by the European delegations which visited south-east Turkey in March 1994 to observe the civilian population's New Year celebrations and the local elections,

E.shocked by the assassination of Mr Theophilos Georgiades who was Chairman of the Cypriot Committee for Solidarity with the Kurdish people for many years,

1.Is deeply shocked that neutral observers could be detained arbitrarily and without justification and condemns the conduct of the Turkish government authorities who, in March 1994, obstructed the European delegations' freedom of movement;

2.Calls on the Turkish authorities to explain these unjustified actions and apologize to those detained;

3.Is appalled at the number of journalists, operating mainly in the south-east of the country, who have been arrested, prosecuted, abducted or murdered;

4.Reiterates its call for the release of the Kurdish parliamentarians, the withdrawal of the charges against them and the restoration of their parliamentary rights;

5.Is concerned that Turkish forces destroyed 519 villages in military operations in the south-east of the country in 1993 and that the toll for 1994 is already more than 120 villages;

6.Notes with alarm reports which document the use, in March 1994 in south-east Turkey, of NATO weaponry and arms and equipment which the Federal German Government supplied subject to specific conditions;

7.Welcomes, therefore, the fact that Germany has halted all military aid to Turkey and calls on the other Member States to take similar decisions;

8.Takes the view that the exercise of peaceful political rights by any person legally resident on the territory of the Union must be guaranteed and must not lead to that person's expulsion;

9.Calls on the governments of the Member States to guarantee the Kurds this right and to refrain from all arbitrary measures in this connection;

10.Calls for a general ceasefire and calls on the Union to promote a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish problem;

11.Condemns the terrorist attacks in Instanbul and other places for which the PKK has claimed responsiblity and which run counter to a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish problem;

12.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Turkish authorities, the Council of the European Union, the Secretary-General and President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the CSCE High Commissioner for national minorities and the UN Secretary-General.