Frank and Joan's Adventures in Northern Cyprus
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Our adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....

Living the dream - Our villa is for sale

January 16

- An interesting article has appeared in the Cyprus Times. If you can sort out the English that is being used, I think it says to me, people, or should I say politicians, are talking about us and our islolation from the rest of the world.

SIGNALS for 'European Union's first serious step for removing the isolations on the Turkish Cypriots came from Marc Pierini, head of EU Commission's Delegation for Turkey.

In a speech in Barcelona at the seventh EU-Turkey Seminar organized by European Institute of the Mediterranean(IEMED) and Istanbul Policy Centre from Turkish Sabanci University, Pierini said he expected direct trade regulation for Turkish Cyprus to be launched on the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on Jan. 22.

The news came a

fter a serious setback on the efforts of lifting the isolations when British Minister Goeff Hoon announced that the turkish Cypriot application for direct flights had been rejected due to legal reasons.

Pierini also said that despite the stalling of eight chapters in Turkey's EU bid process, the important thing was that the negotiations were still on track.

Regarding the so-called Armenian genocide, Pierini said that it was an issue pending for solution but not at all to be brought up as an obstacle in Turkey's membership marathon. Commissioner also said that Turkey needed to work on its image in the process of negotiations for the membership.

In the meantime reports say that Germany has started working on the lifting of the isolations on North Cyprus as soon as it took over the leadership of European Union.

Head of the EU Commission's Task Force for Turkish Cyprus, Andrew Rasbash, came to the Island on Friday in order to supervise the implementation of Economic Aid Regulation adopted by the union. After having met with Turkish and Greek sides Rasbash will hold a press conference on Monday, Jan. 15.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, said that the commissioners will start to work on a Direct Trade Regulation admissible both for Turkish Cypriots and European Union.

As for the issue of hand over of Maras (Varosa), the region currently under UN control, to Greek Cyprus, Rehn said that it was under the jurisdiction of United Nations.

© Copyright Cyprus Times 2006
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