ANY BRUSSELS formula to press Turkey to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot traffic must include the return of Varohsa and exclude any reference to direct trade with the north, the government said yesterday.
The EU is attempting to come up with a compromise formula that would aid in persuading Turkey to normalise its relations with Cyprus in line with the customs union protocol Ankara signed and must implement before the end of the year.
Unless a formula acceptable to both sides is reached, Turkey could be heading for trouble with Brussels for not implementing the protocol as promised.
Reports have been rife for the past month that the EU Finnish presidency is attempting to come up with a compromise deal that would allow the opening of Famagusta port, possibly under EU or UN administration.
However government spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis said yesterday no formula that excluded the return of Famagusta could be considered.
Neither would any attempt to link the direct trade regulation that would allow Turkish Cypriots to trade with the bloc in return for Ankara’s cooperation be acceptable, he said.
He said the safest way for Ankara to avoid a clash with the EU over the protocol was to implement its obligations.
“Surely any effort for any compromise formula cannot depend on notion that the Republic of Cyprus is willing to pick up the bill for Turkey’s European course”, Pashardis said.
“We anticipate and believe that the Commission’s progress report on Turkey which will be submitted, will be specific and objective.”
Pashardis said the government had nothing in front of it relating to a possible compromise formula but he said the EU Commission was already in possession of the positions of the Cyprus government.
These should be included in the final report, he said.
“The safest way to avoid such crisis is for Turkey to fully conform with its European obligations and to fulfil the obligations it has undertaken,” Pashardis added.
“Our position is and remains that we do not compromise with formulas or proposals that exclude the return of Varosha to its lawful inhabitants and we do not accept linking Turkey’s European obligations with the EU regulation for direct trade with the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus.”
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