Turkey outlines conditions for Cyprus settlement

The Turkish Permanent Representative to the UN, Umit Pamir, sent a letter to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on May 31, outlining five conditions that would “open the road for a Cyprus settlement”.

These are: free movement of people, goods and services to and from the Turkish Cypriot north; lifting of the restrictions imposed on ports and airports, including on direct flights to the airport (currently they must go via Turkey); lifting of restrictions on third-country nationals; special arrangements for the inclusion of northern Cyprus as an economic entity in the Customs Union with the EU for the enjoyment by the Turkish Cypriots of all benefits; the removal of all obstacles to Turkish Cypriot participation in international sport, cultural and other activities.

As reported by the Financial Mirror yesterday, The Cyprus government has described the conditions as secessionist.