BRUSSELS, July 26 (AFP) - Cyprus Foreign Minister George Iacovou on Monday announced a series of unilateral initiatives to ease trade between the south and the northern, Turkish-run part of the island.
The measures includes allowing Turkish Cypriot truck drivers to transport goods from the north to the internationally recognized south. Until now only Greek Cypriots could provide such transport.
In addition tourist buses and coaches as well as taxis belonging to Turkish Cypriots will be able to cross the Green Line dividing the Mediterranean island.
"These measures remove the practical difficulties claimed to have existed. We trust that Turkish Cypriot producers will avail themselves of the opportunity afforded and urge them to do so," he said.
Iacovou was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Greek Cypriots joined the European Union on May 1, a week after rejecting in a referendum a UN plan to reunify the island, thus shutting out Turkish Cypriots from the bloc.
But EU aims to honour a pledge to reward the Turkish Cypriots for backing a UN peace plan in the April 24 referendum.
Brussels has already earmarked 259 million euros (320 million dollars) in economic aid, and is proposing ending an embargo on Turkish Cypriot goods -- allowing the north to export its produce to the EU under preferential terms.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was proclaimed in 1983 on territory seized by the Turkish army in 1974, when Ankara invaded the island to prevent it from declaring unification with Greece.
Ankara, which hopes to obtain in December a date to start accession negotiations with the EU, is pushing hard for Europe to end Turkish Cypriot isolation. Turkey is the only state which recognizes the TRNC.