THE GOVERNMENT, the Finnish EU Presidency in Nicosia and the United Nations yesterday all declined to verify reports of a new diplomatic plan to open Turkish ports to Cypriot traffic.
An article in Britain’s Independent claimed the formula being worked out in Brussels involved the easing of the breakaway regime’s economic blockade by bringing its ports under UN jurisdiction. This would allow the ‘TRNC’, which is not internationally recognised, to export goods with UN paperwork and customs declarations.
UNFICYP spokesman Brian Kelly yesterday said he had no information to offer on the issue.
In return, EU diplomats hoped Ankara would be persuaded to lift its ban on Cyprus-flagged vessels, something it has doggedly refused to do despite signing the EU customs protocol.
The EU’s commissioner for enlargement, Olli Rehn, warned of an imminent “train crash” in Europe’s relations with Turkey, demanding that it implement its promise to extend a customs union to all EU member states, including Cyprus, which joined the bloc in 2004.
Earlier this year, Cyprus had threatened to veto the opening of the first chapter of accession negotiations between the bloc and Turkey, but ultimately backed down.
Turkey, which itself does not recognise the Republic, refuses to comply with the protocol unless the EU lives up to its promise of assisting the Turkish Cypriots, who voted in favour of a UN-brokered plan for the reunification of the island in April 2004.
The Greek Cypriots rejected the blueprint, meaning only the south joined the EU a month later, leaving the north out.
According to the Independent, “One EU diplomat confirmed that UN control of Turkish Cypriot ports is seen as a potential solution to the looming crisis with Ankara. The issue is coming to a head because Turkey is being threatened with suspension of its EU membership talks in the autumn unless ports are opened to all EU vessels.”
The piece did not feature a quote from any EU official.
In Nicosia, government spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis had only a brief comment to make on the rumoured plan.
“We have heard of the [Independent] report, yes, but are aware of no such plan,” he said at the daily press briefing.
The Finnish EU Presidency in Nicosia had a similar take, attributing the report to creative writing.
“Sometimes journalists have a very lively imagination,” a source there said.
“There have been different kinds of discussions but no decisions or secret plans have been made concerning this issue… From what we are aware, this proposal has not come from the EU. We are not aware of that in Nicosia. If there was such a proposal, mostly likely we in Nicosia would be aware of it.”
Back in July, Foreign Minister George Lillikas reiterated that Nicosia was discussing the approval of the EU regulation for direct trade only on the basis of the President’s proposal for joint administration of Famagusta harbour in exchange for the return of the fenced-off area of Varosha.
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