The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) ports could be opened up to international trade under the supervision of the United Nations as parts of efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, reported Britain's the Independent yesterday.
"Under the proposals being discussed," wrote the paper, "the UN could control key Northern Cypriot ports, such as Famagusta. Goods would be shipped with UN paperwork and customs declarations, rather than those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus -- which are anathema to the official [Greek] Cypriot government in Nicosia. The new arrangements could give Turkey enough of a concession to lift a ban on Greek Cypriot ships and planes... 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... In Ankara the mood is increasingly hardline and the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has little room for maneuver in the runup to Turkish elections."
From DunyaOnline 17/08/2006
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