Greek Cypriot proposals to reduce world reaction

Tan was replying to a question yesterday at a weekly press briefing, regarding recent claims in the Greek Cypriot dailies that Ankara permitted Cyprus flagged ships to enter Turkish ports and that the Netherlands was to initiate a new process to settle the Cyprus dispute.

"The Greek side which voted ‘no’ to the Annan plan in the referenda in Cyprus is setting forth some proposals from time to time which are not possible to implement to reduce the reaction and criticism from the international arena against them," Tan said to reporters.

He said such reports in the Greek Cypriot media reflected such efforts of the Greek Cypriot side.

"What is important for the time being for the Turkish Cypriot’s and Turkey is abolition of the embargoes on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) and an end to international isolation," Tan concluded.

The Greek Cypriots recently proposed "a set of security-increasing measures" which were not taken seriously by the Turkish side.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat had noted that there was no reason to take the Greek Cypriot package into consideration since all such measures were also included in the U.N. reunification plan and the Greek Cypriots rejected this plan.

The U.N.-endorsed reunification plan was defeated due to a strong Greek Cypriot rejection although the Turkish Cypriots voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plan.

The internationally recognized Greek Cypriot administration became an EU member on May 1, leaving the Turkish Cypriots out.

Since then, Turkey and Turkish Cyprus are on a busy campaign to make the international community keep its promises in lifting international economic and political isolation on the KKTC.

The EU Commission drafted a proposal at the beginning of this month which envisaged initiation of direct trade relations between the EU and KKTC and financial aid worth 259million euros. However, the proposal was not discussed at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on July 26, now the EU Cyprus package can only be brought to the agenda at the Council of the European Union in mid-September.

The EU members should approve the package in order for it to come into effect.

The Greek Cypriots are lobbying hard to block the package, especially parts that propose trade benefits to the KKTC.
‘Turkish Cypriot people expect approval of EU package’

Meanwhile, a statement from KKTC’s Prime Ministry and Foreign Ministry said yesterday that the Turkish Cypriots were expecting the EU to approve the Cyprus package, expressing disappointment that the issue was not brought to the agenda on July 26.

"The Turkish Cypriot’s who voted ‘yes’ at the referendum on April 24 with great self sacrifice, are expecting that the draft regulations which shall constitute a step towards the lifting of the restrictions and isolation that they have been subjected to in areas such as transportation, trade and tourism will be adopted by the relevant EU organs without any further obstruction from the Greek Cypriot administration," the statement read.

"Therefore we are expecting that the said draft regulations are rapidly adopted and implemented without being subjected to any amendments," it added.