London MEP presses for EU trade & aid for North Cyprus

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 11th May 2005

During Question Time in the European Parliament to the EU Council of Ministers, London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP raised the subject of direct trade and financial aid for North Cyprus.

She pressed for action on the promises made over a year ago to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots, following their 2 to 1 vote in favour of the Annan plan. There is stalemate in the Council due to a failure to get a consensus among EU governments to implement 2 regulations simultaneously, for €260 million in aid for economic regeneration and for direct trade between North Cyprus and the rest of the EU.

She was told that EU representatives were about to leave for a visit to Cyprus. After the exchange Sarah Ludford said:

"This is a question of good faith in keeping promises, about fairness for Turkish Cypriots, and about ensuring that in the reunited Cyprus we all want to see, North Cyprus will be able to hold its own economically. For all these reasons, I deplore the delay and urge rapid implementation of the trade and aid package."

Note:

Sarah Ludford said in the European Parliament:

"It seems to me that everybody is blaming everybody else. It has been over a year since the Council pledged to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots in the wake of their two-thirds 'yes' vote to the UN's Annan Plan for a political settlement. One has to ask what trust can anyone place in EU pledges if this is an example of non-delivery. As the minister pointed out, direct trade and helping the economy of the north would assist in a political settlement. It is of no help to anyone for the Turkish Cypriots to be so far behind the Greek Cypriots in income and economic development.

When will some serious pressure be exerted to actually deliver on that year-old pledge? In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriots are dangling out there in isolation, losing trust in EU promises. I must confess, I cannot blame them. When can we expect these two regulations to be passed?"