Turkey demands free trade for Turkish Cypriots

Turkey has indicated that it wants all restrictions on Turkish Cypriot trade to be lifted before it implements the Ankara protocol that would open up sea and airports to Cypriot and Cypriot-related vessels.

However, Greek Cypriots have been resisting an EU move to open up trade to Turkish Cypriots for over a year.

“We have noted these positions with great disappointment since they contradict the collective EU positions. We will indicate this negative stance wherever it is appropriate,” said the government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce has suggested including all the territory of Cyprus and Turkey in a free-trade area under EU customs rules.