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EU ministers adopt Germany's draft for direct trade with Northern Cyprus

Iran Materials 22 January 2007 15:41 (UTC +04:00)

(Cihan) - EU foreign ministers adopted the launching of direct trade agreement with Northern Cyprus on Monday , a promise pending since April 2004. The draft passed without discussion on the details of the statement. The next steps following the ministers' decision are Germany's negotiations with both sides on the island.

The draft did not meet the expectations of both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots. It states that Turkish Cyprus would use "areas of the Republic of Cyprus [meaning Greek Cyprus] in which the government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control" for direct trade, reports Trend.

Germany, as part of its six-month program, promised to carry out strong efforts for the economic development of Northern Cyprus and resumption of UN talks for a comprehensive settlement on the divided island.

The EU had promised direct trade with Northern Cyprus in April 2004, after a UN-sponsored peace plan was approved by the Turkish Cypriots but strongly rejected by the Greek Cypriots. Despite that, the Greek Cypriot-dominated "Republic of Cyprus" became an EU member with a claim to represent the whole island. The European Union promised direct aid and trade for Turkish Cypriots in order to encourage their perspective towards unification and the European Union.

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