British move to free Turkish Cypriot aid package

THE BRITISH EU Presidency has referred two EU regulations for financial assistance to Turkish Cypriots and direct trade with the north to a working group of the Council and then the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

The discussion was called for last week by Sweden and was accepted by the British presidency. In her intervention, the Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Ferivalds said time was running out and there would be danger the EU funding to Turkish Cypriots to be lost.

Turkish Cypriots, backed buy Britain, want the ‘aid and trade’ package to be linked but the Cyprus government, while it has no objection to Turkish Cypriots receiving EU funding want the issue disassociated from the discussion on EU direct trade with the north.

Foreign Minister George Iacovou has made it clear in Brussels that the government had always worked with the European Commission for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriot community.

The proof of this was the Green Line Regulation that allows Turkish Cypriot goods and produce to cross to the south and be exported from ports under government control. Iacovou said that although the regulation was not perfect, it has been improved.

He reiterated that the government wished the financial package to go to the Turkish Cypriots but said as far as the direct trade was concerned, it involved problems of a serious legal nature.

”We want the money to be given. We have our own plans to help”, Iacovou said. “Turkish Cypriots have greatly benefited from the government’s attitude towards them.”

He said there was also the possibility of withdrawing the regulation for direct trade and if this happened, the financial regulation should be immediately adopted.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he had no alternative but to refer the regulations to bureaucrats to examine the situation but he avoided clarifying whether the issue would be raised again during the General Affairs Council meeting of December 12, which will be the last COREPER meeting under the British Presidency.

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