Verhaugen Hints Turkish Military Increase on Cyprus

After E.U. foreign ministers scolded the Greek-Cypriot administrator, Foreign Minister Georges Yakovu, in Luxembourg earlier, Günther Verheugen, the E.U. enlargement commissioner, continues to criticize Greeks. When asked about the future status of Turkish soldiers in Cyprus, Verheugen replied, "now the number of soldiers will increase. " He said that the E.U. has to open an office in the TRNC to end the economic isolation in the North.

European Council Parliamentarians Assembly prepared a decision draft allowing TRNC parliamentarians into general council meetings and giving the TRNC the right to speak at the council meetings. The draft will be voted on tomorrow.

After participating in the referendum evaluation meeting in the European Parliament yesterday, Verheugen said, "If the Greeks had said yes, the Turkish soldiers would have left the island with only a symbolic number remaining But now, they will remain as is and moreover the number will increase."

He emphasized that the existence of the Turkish military on the Island is of concern to the United Nations (UN.) Verheugen said, "We have no interest in it." Greek parliamentarians angry at Verheugen’s remarks, fired back: "How this could not be a matter for them? We will see whether or not they are interested in it after May 1st."