The European Parliament

A. having regard to Turkey's provocative military operations in relation to the isle of Imia in the Eastern Aegean,

B. concerned about the dangers of over-reaction if this dispute continues,

C. having regard to Turkey's official statements making territorial claims and contesting the sovereign rights of an EU Member State,

D. whereas the islet of Imia belongs to the Dodecanese group of islands, on the basis of the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, the Protocol between Italy and Turkey of 1932 and the Paris Treaty of 1947, and whereas even on Turkish maps from the 1960s, these islets are shown as Greek territory,

E. whereas this action by Turkey forms part of a broader policy of questioning the status quo in the Aegean,

F. having regard to the common position of the Council set out at the association Council meeting of 6 March 1995 which considered it "of paramount importance to encourage good- neighbourly relations between Turkey and its neighboring Member States of the EU", and whereas these privileged relations between the Union and Turkey should automatically preclude any military aggression,

1. Gravely concerned by the dangerous violation by Turkey of sovereign rights of Greece, a Member State of the European Union and by the build-up of military tension in the Aegean;

2. Deplores the fact that Greece and Turkey appeared to be on the brink of hostilities and calls for an immediate stop to all actions which endanger peace and stability in this area;

3. Stresses that Greece's borders are also part of the external borders of the European Union;

4. Calls for compliance by Turkey with international treaties, and in particular the OSCE, which insists that all disputes be settled by peaceful means in accordance with international law;

5. Deplores the failure of the European Union and its Member States in this crisis, to take effective action within the framework of the common foreign and security policy;

6. Calls on the Council to take appropriate initiatives for the amelioration of the relations between Greece and Turkey;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government of Turkey, the Parliament of Greece and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.