Greek Cypriot Side's Attitude Towards Turkish Cypriots Will Help Turkey To Assume Its Attitude Towards Them

ANKARA - Greek Cypriot side's attitude towards Turkish Cypriots would help Turkey to assume its attitude towards Greek Cypriot side, Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan told a weekly press briefing that however, this attitude was not a precondition before efforts to admit the Greek Cypriot side to the Customs Union.
Tan said that Turkey intended and was preparing to make necessary arrangements about the Greek Cypriot side under its Customs Union obligations.
However, Tan noted, obligations stemming from the Customs Union were naturally two-sided.
Tan said that some arrangements should be made in internal laws in order to adapt the Customs Union to the new European Union (EU) member countries which joined the Union in May and the Greek Cypriot side was excluded from this arrangement.
It had been seen that the EU had a wrong impression about this matter, Tan said.
Tan went on saying, ''these arrangements are perceived as if they are precautionary and as if they are made with the initiative of our government. But, these issues are a requirement of our customs regulation and made to prevent occurrence of any technical problems. We have made necessary explanations to end these wrong impressions. Exclusion of the Greek Cypriot side has stemmed from the new situation in Cyprus after April 24th simultaneous referenda and because we don't recognize the Greek Cypriot side.''
Turkey's arrangements related with the matter would be limited with trade, Tan said.
Tan noted that it was obvious that a political result in respect with a comprehensive solution to be reached in Cyprus could not be obtained from this move.
Asked if Turkey would await a new step of the EU towards Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to put into practice arrangements related with the matter, Tan said that it should not be perceived as a precondition.
Tan stated that assuming a balanced approach between the north and south of Cyprus was a requirement of the results of simultaneous referenda.
(BRC-AÖ) 10.06.2004