EU to Give Turkish Part of Cyprus EU259 Mln in Aid

Foreign ministers agreed to the sum, part of a 300 million- euro Cyprus unification package, in draft conclusions drawn up at a meeting in Luxembourg. The pledge comes after Greek Cypriots rejected unification in a referendum on Saturday that will leave Turkish Cypriots out of the EU when Cyprus joins, along with nine other nations, on May 1.

The ministers from the 15 current members expressed their “commitment to the promotion of the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community” and “recommended that the 259 million euros already earmarked for the northern part of Cyprus in the event of a settlement now be used for this purpose,” say the draft conclusions seen by Bloomberg News.

The Greek-speaking part of the divided island voted 76 percent against a United Nations plan to reunify Cyprus in the referendum, while Turkish Cypriots voted 65 percent in favor. EU aid to northern Cyprus now amounts to 12 million euros.