Greek Cypriots ask EU to aid Turkish section

The Greek Cypriot government today urged the EU to give Turkish Cypriots all the support it can muster to offset the collapse of a plan to have a unified island.

Ahead of meeting with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Cypriot foreign minister George Iacovou said he would “encourage our colleagues to give northern Cyprus as much aid as the union can afford”.

The EU ministers were already considering a wide range of aid for Turkish Cypriots, who backed their island’s reunification in a weekend referendum but were kept out of the EU when Greek Cypriots rejected the plan in separate voting.

“What we will seriously consider now is finding a way to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots,” EU expansion commissioner Guenter Verheugen said.

Officials said the EU planned to provide aid for Turkish Cypriots and further steps to benefit their fishing and mining sectors.

The EU would also consider opening its markets to farm produce from northern Cyprus.

The Cyprus referendum setback started a week of festivities marking next Saturday’s entry of 10 new members on a low note.

The foreign ministers planned to express dismay at the outcome of last weekend’s referendums, in which 76% of Greek Cypriots voted “no” to reunification and 65% of Turkish Cypriots accepted it.

By voting no, Greek Cypriots – whose government is the only one the international community recognises on the island – made sure the Turkish Cypriots were kept out of the EU.

EU officials have harshly criticised Greek Cypriot leaders for not backing the reunification plan of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Cyprus has been divided since Turkey invaded in 1974 following a coup by supporters of union with Greece.