EU to ease Turkish Cypriot isolation with plan

EU: The European Commission has proposed a package of economic measures aimed at easing the isolation of Northern Cyprus and…

EU: The European Commission has proposed a package of economic measures aimed at easing the isolation of Northern Cyprus and encouraging the reunification of the island, writes Denis Staunton in Brussels

The measures include €259 million in economic aid to the Turkish-Cypriot enclave and would allow its residents to trade with EU countries for the first time since 1974.

The Enlargement Commissioner, Mr Guenther Verheugen, said the Commission would target the economic aid towards projects that benefit both parts of the island.

"The aim of the package is to bring the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community to an end. The political purpose of the whole exercise is to contribute to the solution of the Cyprus conflict and finally to bring about the reunification of the island. We want to see a united Cyprus as a member of the European Union," he said.

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The EU promised to help Northern Cyprus after Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of a plan to reunify the island in April. The plan failed after it was rejected by the Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus, which joined the EU on May 1.

The proposals, which need the unanimous approval of EU foreign ministers, would involve the reopening of ports in Northern Cyprus that have been closed to international trade since the Turkish invasion of 1974.

They would also define commerce across the "Green Line" separating the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce will be authorised to issue documents for products, especially agricultural produce, certifying they originated in Northern Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Mr Mehmet Ali Talat said the measures were crucial to support the morale of the enclave's 200,000 people, who feel strongly the international community should reward them for voting for reunification.

"We did our best for peace, but failed due to the Greek Cypriots' negative attitude," he said yesterday. "It is impossible for us to accept isolation because of factors we can't control."

Currently only Turkey recognises the Turkish Cypriot enclave as an independent state. Endorsement of the UN peace plan by both sides would have taken Turkish Cypriots into the EU along with their Greek Cypriot compatriots.

Greek Cypriot officials have expressed reservations about reopening Turkish Cypriot ports as they fear this would confer de facto recognition on what they see as occupied territory.

The Turkish Cypriot parliament voted yesterday to hold early general elections after resignations left the ruling pro-reunification coalition with an awkward minority in the legislature.

Confident of its popularity as Turkish Cypriots start to see signs of an end to their international isolation, Mr Talat's Republican Turkish Party (CTP) had proposed fresh polls on September 26th, just nine months into its mandate. - (Reuters)