Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

Good article in the Cyprus Mail...what we have been saying all along.

THE GOVERNMENT has once again managed to manoeuvre itself into a corner, threatening to take the European Commission to court if it tries to impose the regulation for direct trade between the north and the EU. Foreign Minister Giorgos Lillikas on Tuesday met Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, who was determined to pursue direct trade regardless of Nicosia’s objections, by recourse to article 133, which allowed the implementation of decisions without the unanimous approval of member states.

President Papadopoulos has said that Cyprus would appeal to the European Court of Justice if the Commission approved the direct trade regulation, which would allow the opening of Famagusta port and Tymbou (Ercan) airport to trade, as this would constitute an upgrading of the status of the entity in the north. This is no idle threat of the type issued by Lillikas last year regarding the protocol, as the main policy objective of the government is to prevent, at all costs, the upgrading of the status of the north. There is no doubt direct trade with the EU would be a step in this direction, bringing us even closer to partition.

Lillikas yesterday said that the government would prepare alternative proposals which would allow the Turkish Cypriots to trade without the opening of the port and airport, because the government wanted the economic development of the north – it was only opposed to the upgrading of its legal status. The problem with such comments is that nobody believes them because of the way the government has been behaving. For more than two years, the government had been blocking the granting of a financial aid package to the Turkish Cypriots on legal grounds. It may have been justified in doing this, but the impression created was that it wanted to punish the Turkish Cypriots.

Even on more basic issues, such as the implementation of the Green Line regulation, it has been sending out mixed signals. The excessive zeal with which customs officials search cars returning from the north and confiscate items does not show a government committed to trade. What impression is given when a government minister makes public allegations about smuggling because a truck-load of Turkish Cypriot potatoes has been brought south? Need we mention the insistence of the Central Bank on releasing figures of how much money Greek Cypriots are spending in the north, implying that they were helping the regime in the north? Only last week, the leading pro-government newspaper ran a nasty intimidation campaign, aimed at stopping Greek Cypriot tour guides taking tourists to the north and doing business with Turkish Cypriots.

The government failed to say anything about the campaign, giving the impression that it did not disapprove. Nobody undermines the government’s credibility and trustworthiness more than the government itself. Yet, if it had shown a little more flexibility, actively encouraging trade and business co-operation across the Green Line it would have made a mockery – in practice and not in words – of the claim of the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation. It would also have given its assertion that it wanted to help the economic development in the north some substance. Then perhaps Rehn and the Commission would have been more inclined to accept our alternative proposals to direct trade. But unfortunately, the only thing the government has convinced the Commission about is its lack of good faith.

[zan]

Nice one VP. It is true, the change in power that Piratis has been going on about is happening already. Shame its the other way around.

[Piratis]

Loucas Charalambus doesn't sign his articles anymore? I think he should, to spare as the trouble reading them.

[zan]

Loucas Charalambus doesn't sign his articles anymore? I think he should, to spare as the trouble reading them.

Close your eyes as well as your mind but be careful you do not walk into something.

[Piratis]

While your mind is full of shit I prefer to keep that out of mine, more for you that way

[zan]

While your mind is full of shit I prefer to keep that out of mine, more for you that way

A lot of empty space....Is that why those numbers are echoing in your head all the time.

[shahmaran]

oh its not empty, its just DARK matter!

[zan]