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Direct Trade with better conditions
Pertev explains Turkish Cypriot expectations.
Turkish Cypriot Presidential Undersecretary Rasit Pertev, stated that the Direct Trade Regulation, which has been on the agenda since 2004 and could only be settled on 22 January 2007, was on the main agenda of the EU Term Presidency Germany and he believed that there would be a significant development in the issue before the end of the term in June 2007. He said, "At the moment the ball is in the court of the EU offices and Germany who both carry heavy loads regarding the issue. During my visit to Brussels last week, I had contacts with several offices regarding the issue, now we wait and see. The EU is continuing their preparations."
Answering TAK reporters' questions on the Direct Trade Regulation Pertev stated that they expected the Regulation to become definite by the end of the Germany's term in office in June. He said, "As the settlement was in the term presidency of Germany, everyone sees it as Germany's duty. Since the term presidency of Germany is for 6 months, if there is a development it is expected to be in June."
sPertev said that the European Union had prepared the Direct Trade and Financial Aid Regulations 2 days after the referendum on 26 April 2004 to get "Northern Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot community rid of the isolations that have been applied for very long years."
He stated that the Direct Trade Regulation was aimed at eliminating the barricades and enable Northern Cyprus products to be exported to EU member countries but, he added, that the coverage of the Regulation was limited as it was. With the help of Direct Trade, he said, Turkish Cypriots aimed to become a more active participant of the EU and the CustomsAgreement and stated, "It is not just exporting local products, we want to be able to conduct free trade with the EU." Pertev stated that the Greek Cypriot Administration was against the Direct Trade Regulation with claims that it would mean recognising the Turkish Cypriot Administration and continued: "At the moment the problem is not whether or not we have trade as there already are trade relations. We have approximately US$20 million worth of trade with Europe. Our imports from the EU are approximately over US$i milliard. No_one claimed that the 'EU recognised Northern Cyprus as a separate State' until now regarding the trade relations we have." He emphasised that Northern Cyprus had been very liberal towards the EU until now, stating that the products that were imported from Europe were not highly taxed and they could be delivered through the harbours with no trouble at all. Pertev said, "The basis is not related to politics. The aim is to sell our products to the EU with better conditions. Since we buy the European Products they should buy our products."
Source: The Observer - North Cyprus / 2007-02-04
Next Article...
AKEL visits Turkish Cypriot platform on Lokmaci issue / 2007-02-04 / Cyprus Observer - North Cyprus
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