Circular letter sent by Lobby for Cyprus to all Members of UK Parliament, 97-06-12

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PRESS RESEASE

The letter below has recently been sent to all newly elected members of the UK Parliament.

For your information and for publication where appropriate.

28 May 1997 The Rt Hon Mr Paddy Ashdown MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

Dear Mr Ashdown,

Congratulations on your election /re-election to Parliament.

Lobby for Cyprus is a non affiliated, non sectarian pressure group formed in 1992 to campaign for the reunification of Cyprus. Central to Lobby's campaigning philosophy and strategy in relation to Cyprus, is the implementation of the 3Rs:

1. Removal of all Turkish troops from the territory of the sovereign Republic of Cyprus.

2. Repatriation to Turkey of all the Turkish colonists transplanted to Cyprus by Turkey in order to permanently alter the demographic composition of the island (latest reports give the number of colonists as over 80,000 - note the population of Cyprus is only 600,000).

3. Return of all refugees (200,000) to their homes and properties without restrictions, pre-conditions, or discrimination.

Lobby sends regular mailing shots to the UK and EU Parliaments and the US Senate and Congress. In your term of office you can expect to continue to receive this correspondence, keeping you abreast of current developments.

Recently, the BBC News (12 April 1997), reported that 90% of heroine and other drugs entering Britain come from Turkey, whilst the banks licensed by this illegal regime Turkey has created in occupied northern Cyprus are conveniently used to launder the profits of the drugs barons that control this deadly trade.

Amnesty International, recently reported that Turkey is the 5th worst country in the world for torture in jails, whilst the US State Department report states that the human rights situation in Turkey continues to deteriorate despite the promises of the Turkish government.

This illegal regime, created after Turkey brutally invaded and occupied the northern part of Cyprus in 1974, now harbours and refuses to hand over a number of fugitives from British justice, including ex-convict Kenneth Noye, wanted for questioning by British police for the M25 road-rage murder of a motorist, as well as the former Polly Peck chief Asil Nadir.

According to the Turkish Cypriot newspaper ORTAM (13 March 1997) the number of asylum seekers in Britain from the Occupied Area is increasing day by day. Quoting British immigration officials, ORTAM says that around 100 people from the Occupied Area are seeking asylum in Britain each month.

According to Turkish newspaper Milliyet (21 March 1997), the chairman of Koc holdings, Rahmi Koc, has stated that they, the Turks, have taken the most productive part of Cyprus (from the Greek Cypriot refugees), the area with the best climate, the best constructed area.....but today per capita income is 2-3 thousand US dollars, whereas in the Republic of Cyprus (free part) it is 12,000 US dollars.

We urge you to take the above into consideration and assist in any way you can to end the illegal occupation of 37% of the Republic of Cyprus and help restore the moral, legal and human rights of all indigenous Cypriots.

Enclosed for your records are the following Lobby for Cyprus publications:

1. Special European report: The Strategic Benefits to the EU of Cypriot Membership.
2. A World-Without Borders
3. Lobby for Cyprus Newsletter No 5.

We wish you every success and hope to have the opportunity to discuss our concerns about the Cyprus issue with you in the near future. If we can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Nick Kounoupias Co-ordinator - Lobby for Cyprus

Web Site: http://www.lobbyforcyprus.org

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