“There is no embargo against Turkish Cypriots”: Cyprus president

President Tassos Papadopoulos repeated the longstanding Greek Cypriot position that there are no embargoes on Turkish Cypriots this week, in response to Turkey’s stance that it will not extend the customs union to Cyprus until Turkish Cypriot embargoes are lifted.

“There is no embargo against Turkish Cypriots in any field, there are restrictions in the goal of the Turkish Cypriot administration to behave or participate as a separate state. Difficulties are self-imposed by there own policy,” he said.

As for Turkey’s obligations on the customs union, Papadopoulos said

“Turkey has explicit obligations towards the EU, which it has accepted and signed, and it is up to the EU, when it reviews Turkey’s progress regarding the implementation of these obligations in 2006, at the end of the year, to decide how it will address the whole situation.”