Let's talk about self-imposed isolation
This week the Turkish Cypriot leadership took a very radical step backwards by witch hunting Turkish Cypriot who shop in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. According to Turkish Cypriot media reports, a number of Turkish Cypriots returning to the north have already been harassed, intimidated, fined, while others have had their goods confiscated. An obvious break from the Green Line Regulations that the Turkish Cypriot leadership agreed to, the new "Turk for Turk shopping" campaign, an embargo in itself on Turkish Cypriot shoppers lacks all integrity and reveals the true aims of the current leadership.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GREEN LINE REGULATIONS
Implemented on July 14 2004, the Green Line Regulations facilitates trade between the North of Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus since the current Green Line that separates the two doe s not constitute an international border. Considering too that the Acquis Communautaire is currently suspended in the north of Cyprus pending a political settlement, Special Regulations are necessary to permit trade between the two areas by providing "special rules concerning the crossing of goods, services and persons."
But technicalities aside, more significantly the Regulations are a political move aimed at integrating the economy of the North with the EU. Enlargement Commissioner Ollie Rehn also described the Regulations as a way of "Building bridges between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot community over the Green Line is essential for the reconciliation on Cyprus and helpful for creating a positive political climate which would open the way for a comprehensive settlement on the island."
NO INTEGRITY
Regrettably, neither the Turkish Cypriot administration nor the Cyprus government has treated the issue with any integrity. Both sides create obstacles to trade. Excessive Greek Cypriot bureaucratic obstacles put off Turkish Cypriot traders. This is one side of the coin however.
On the other, meanwhile Mr Talat has demonstrated total pessimism from the very onset. Even though Adriaan van der Meer, the EU's representative in Cyprus described the first day of the Regulations as a "very important day for both communities", before the regulations could be assessed Mr Talat is reported to have said that Greek Cypriots were "not psychologically read to buy Turkish Cypriot good" and insisted instead on Direct Trade. But bearing in mind the benefits of trade between both main Cypriot communities why could he not persevere for both? His pessimism for this initiative and his negative view of Greek Cypriots certainly does not demonstrate a will to make things work. When you support and endorse an initiative, it really makes little sense to trivialize its importance before it has even kicked off.
SELF-IMPOSED ISOLATION
Choosing to be pessimistic is Mr. Talat's prerogative. But instead his leadership, which complains of Greek Cypriot 'embargoes' created their own additional obstacles for Turkish Cypriot traders to discourage them from trading with the Greek Cypriots. In one incident involving a major consignment of about 3,800 tons of potatoes , which were meant to cross the Green Line shipped through Limassol to other EU member states, "However, following pressure from within the Turkish Cypriot community on the growers and the Turkish Cypriot traders, this Green Line trade was finally cancelled," (Cyprus Mail Jean Christou September 25, 2007). Not the first time the Turkish Cypriot administration has demonstrated ill will. Ousted Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce chief Ali Erel described how the administration in the north tried to force him to certify tomatoes grown in Turkey as Turkish Cypriot produce in violation of the Green Line Regulations. All produce emanating from the North is monitored by EU experts under the provisions of the bloc's health and safety directives.
Replaced by Erdil Nami, Erel warned "the Chamber's new leadership would turn the body into a mouthpiece for the administration and would do little to boost trade for businessmen in the north." Challenging Mr. Talat's focus on solely lifting 'embargoes,' Mr. Erel stressed that "there is no embargo, as in Iraq, on the northern Cyprus." In fact, he argued, "it is isolation" and condemned people who branded it as an embargo. "It is wrong propaganda", he admitted.
NOT ENTIRELY USELESS
Despite its babyhood the Green Line Regulations have proved to be far from unproductive. In a follow-up article by the Cyprus Mail a year after the implementation of the regulations, it was reported through the offices of the EU that trade between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots under the EU's Green Line regulations has reached around 90,000 euros a month in February 2005. By September 2005, the total trade value of goods which actually crossed from north to south almost doubled and was about €3,380,805 compared to €1,734,770 in the previous reporting period. In addition the Cyprus government made it clear that Green Line Regulations could be altered to allow expanded trade. Like a tree growing slowly, the Green Line Regulations may have produced limited results but it was nonetheless growing. Now common sense and good will would dictate that a leader would at least preserve and promote these Regulations with the aim of expanding it over time even if you seek Direct Trade as well. Instead Mr. Talat through his clamp down on Turkish Cypriot shoppers seems to be working against the progress of these Regulations.
TURK FOR TURK CAMPAIGN
Naturally, Mr Talat's move has caused strong reaction from opposition parties in the Turkish Cypriot community. The United Cyprus Party (BKP) in a statement strongly criticized the additional obstacles created by Mr. Talat's administration. Member of the Central Executive Committee of the BKP Abdullah Korkmazhan said: "We are ashamed of the fact that the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), which championed itself of being after peace and solution, has become the implementer of the "Turk for Turk campaign." Korkmazhan further said that this is in clear violation of the Green Line Regulation.
DIRECT TRADE
The Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam under its title: "Maltreatment at the Gates" echoed a similar criticism. Reporting arbitrary and illegal harassments against ordinary Turkish Cypriot people, the newspaper says that the aim of the Talat administration is to reduce border crossings. The daily also reports that this action is contrary to the Green Line Regulation and to the reciprocity principle. Killing off Green Line Trade to seek Direct Trade, t he Cyprus Mail reports that "Turkish Cypriot customs police might act to prevent all trade with the Greek Cypriot side, including shopping, if the government continued to block the implementation of a direct trade agreement between the north and the EU."
REAL AIM
However, while I am not against Direct Trade, I feel it is inconsistent for Mr Talat whose politics is based on ending isolation to act against the Green Line Regulations. Turning his back on the Regulations by curbing Turkish Cypriots from shopping in the Republic will only isolate the community more and not protect Turkish Cypriot businesses. Also by creating restrictions like an East German leader on his last legs he automatically increases the worth of Greek Cypriot goods.
Naturally Direct Trade is as important as Green Line Trade but one should not create unnecessary obstacles to hinder Green Line Trade while seeking Direct Trade. This is not only contrary to the Regulations itself but in the wider scheme of things for the integration of the economy of the North with the EU and reconciliation. By going against an EU initiative Talat only increases suspicion that he seeks an upgrade of the status of the TRNC. After all in political theory, if you seek secession then you would also seek to establish the basis of a separate economy. Accordingly, European politicians who genuinely support a united Cyprus for their part should now put pressure on Mr Talat to make the Green Line Regulations work before granting him concessions in other areas.
http://www.toplumpostasi.net/index.php/ ... -_Property
what the hell...you are embargoing your selfs...are you also gonna be screaming VP, Zan?...coz you gonna have to do it a bit louder coz I can't hear you
