Cyprus-Forum.com

[EPSILON]

Letter to "THE ECONOMIST"


Cyprus and Turkey
SIR – Your article on the “elections” in the occupied part of Cyprus showed more concern for Turkey’s accession to the European Union than for negotiations over the reunification of Cyprus (“A hawkish problem”, April 25th). In 2005 Turkey undertook to fulfil a number of obligations. Its refusal to open to Cypriot ships and aircraft harms the normalisation of relations with Cyprus and is an obstacle to free trade and competition.

Moreover, your reference to “trade restrictions” imposed by the EU on the occupied north is unfounded when what is happening is the application of national, international and European law on trade, customs and sovereign rights of states. In 2004 Cyprus proposed measures aimed at promoting trade with the Turkish Cypriots. These were rejected outright by their leadership. The suggestion that Cyprus has tried to “subvert” Turkey’s EU membership is equally unfounded. In 2005, Cyprus decided to support the beginning of accession negotiations with Turkey, and on April 23rd, the president of Cyprus and the Greek prime minister reiterated their support for Turkey’s membership bid, provided Turkey fulfils the obligations and requirements.

Alexandros Zenon
High commissioner for Cyprus
London

[paliometoxo]

turkey is going to try not budge in hope they get eu without doing anything then turning around and saying f u..