The issue of missing persons should not be politicized as it is a humanitarian issue, MEP Isabel Santos (Socialists, Portugal) stressed in an interview with CNA, calling on community leaders to show the same cooperation she saw at the level of civil society on both sides, while she advocated the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
She also stressed that it is feasible to have a resolution or initiative of the European Parliament on the issue before the end of the current term and that a start has been made by submitting a working paper to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on its contacts in Cyprus.
Since May, Ms. Santos has been the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the issue of missing persons in Cyprus from the 1963-1964 conflicts and the 1974 invasion. She has already visited Cyprus in July and September when she met with members of the Committee of Inquiry on Missing Persons, relatives of missing persons, and officials.
As Santos said the day after the LIBE meeting, which was attended by a delegation from the Cyprus Parliament’s Refugee Committee, the first outcome of her contacts was a preliminary report with some recommendations, which is the beginning of the process for any initiative the European Parliament will take.
Asked to comment on whether the issue of the missing persons could become one of the preconditions for the future of Euro-Turkish relations, Ms. Santos said that “it is not up to me to talk about it, but the European Commission can give the answer”.
