THE TURKISH Cypriot Chamber of Trade chairman Salih Tunar said yesterday the 53 Turkish Cypriot traders that took part in the 30th Cyprus International Fair had no regrets at their participation.
“I believe we achieved our aim,” the north’s Chamber of Industry chairman Salih Tunar told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.
“Our aim was to broaden economic ties between the two communities, which is something we believed would help with healing the division of the island,” Tunar added.
Tunar’s comments came a day after the end of the week-long fair.
“We have carried out a survey on our members that took part, and although we haven’t fully analysed the results yet, at first glance it looks as though most had no regrets about taking part.”
Tunar praised the fair organisers, saying the facilities Turkish Cypriot traders were offered were of “very high quality”.
“In this respect, there were no negative occurrences,” he said.
“Another thing we view as positive is the fact that the Greek Cypriot authorities allowed our drivers and vehicles access to the fair without insisting they obtain licences from the south,” Tunar added.
In normal circumstances, Turkish Cypriot goods vehicles would not have been allowed into the south unless drivers had first taken tests in the Republic.
“Our aim, of course, is for all such vehicles to be allowed in, but we see this as a small step in the right direction. These small steps could, in time, lead to bigger things.”
Tunar was also upbeat over visit to the fair by President Tassos Papadopoulos and House Speaker and AKEL leader Dimitri Christofias, who he said had actively encouraged Greek Cypriots to take an interest in Turkish Cypriot-made products.
“They gave a sense of approval to society. And partly because of this we had many members of the public come to us and ask how and where they could find our products.”
Tunar was critical, however, of Papadopoulos’ statement at the fair opening that the Turkish Cypriot authorities were appealing for the right to trade directly with the EU through ports in the north for “political reasons”.
“We disagree with him on that. We believe direct trade is necessary if isolation of the north is to be lifted. There is no other feasible way.”
Tunar does not believe the Green Line regulation that allows limited trade through the UN-controlled buffer zone will produce great rewards for the Turkish Cypriot economy.
“With the Green Line regulation as it is we can’t expect much,” Tunar said, but added that positive results at this stage could lead to a broadening of the regulation in the future to include a wider number of products and greater levels of trade.
Tunar spoke of a number of business deals emerging as a result of the fair, although most of them, he said, we currently taking place on a “trial basis”.
“Whether we will see a rise in the quantity and value of products crossing the line remains to be seen when figures are published for June and July.”
But Tunar remained optimistic that even if figures did not rise in the coming months the fact that Turkish Cypriots had taken part would dispel many preconceptions Greek Cypriots had about the north.
“It’s still positive because they can see that we have industry here. We produce things, and I think many Greek Cypriots were surprised by what we have to offer.”
Drawing the most attention from fairgoers was furniture, Tunar said, which he said undercut prices in the south by up to 60 per cent.
“I believe many Greek Cypriots will buy our products, even if some extremists refuse,” Tunar said. He did concede, however, that political issues could influence peoples’ spending habits.
