COMMERCE Minister George Lillikas yesterday described the upcoming visit of a delegation of American businessmen to the north as part of an organised effort by the US to promote the upgrading of the breakaway regime in the north. He warned US companies thinking of starting up in the north to consider the legal consequences.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher yesterday confirmed that an American business delegation would visit the north, accompanied by the Commercial Attaché of the US Embassy in Ankara. The delegation will fly into the north’s unrecognised Tymbou airport next Thursday.
“This delegation is consistent with our goal of easing the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots by expanding business contacts on and off the island,” said Boucher. He described the US visit as “a private delegation that’s looking at potential business opportunities in the north”.
Regarding the US commercial attaché who will be accompanying the delegation to Tymbou airport, Boucher said, “he is going along to help facilitate their work”, adding, “that’s a standard practice worldwide with business delegations”.
Lillikas was quoted by state radio yesterday describing the news as part of continuing statements made by US officials, hiding and moving behind the bogus argument of lifting the economic isolation of Turkish Cypriots, and effectively trying to upgrade the occupation regime.
The minister said one EU member, a likely reference to Britain, was making similar efforts but that the government had succeeded in averting those efforts with the support of the majority of its European partners.
He added that in this case, Cyprus could not determine US policy. He warned US companies to think two and three times before getting involved in a political game with likely legal consequences, given their sizeable economic interests in the free areas.
According to reports in the Turkish press, 10 Americans representing companies like FedEx, Comsat, Oracle and Express Bank are expected to fly from Turkey to the north on a Cyprus Turkish Airlines plane.
The Cyprus government has already made representations to the US over the visit, said Foreign Minister George Iacovou.
Iacovou highlighted: “If the visit by the Commercial Attaché finally takes place, I underline that this action will constitute a violation of the Cyprus Republic’s laws and UN resolutions 541 and 550.”
The minister said the government was concerned that the Commercial Attaché in Ankara would escort the delegation. “The allegation that he will facilitate their contacts is not valid. We have made representations (to the US) both in Nicosia and in Washington,” said Iacovou.
