Criticism Of US Business Delegation To Northern Cyprus Grows

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

17 February 2005

Responding to mounting criticism of an upcoming US business delegation to Northern Cyprus, US State Department Spokesman Mr Richard Boucher has stressed that the trip is merely an attempt to relieve the “isolation” of Turkish Cyprus and does not alter Washington’s recognition policy.

Fielding questions from the press on Tuesday, Mr Boucher stated that the team of business people, which includes a commercial attaché from the US embassy in Ankara, are travelling to northern Cyprus “to look at opportunities for cooperation.”

“We are sending somebody from our Commercial Section, as we often do with business groups,” he confirmed.

However, it seems that the trip has not only aroused the indignation of the government in Nicosia, but also from lawmakers in the United States, including US Congressman Frank Pallone (Democrat – New Jersey), who has written to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging her to reconsider the “ill-advised and illegal trip.”

“Entering Cyprus from an illegal port of entry constitutes a violation of both Cyprus’ domestic law and international aw, and perhaps even more objectionable is the involvement of a US official in violating these laws”, Mr Pallone wrote in his letter.

“Moreover, any business activity either in or involving the Turkish occupied section of Cyprus is problematic, since it entails possible use of properties of Greek Cypriot refugees, who were forcibly evicted from northern Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974. In addition, there is no international Treaty that protects foreign investments in the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” he added.

Pallone went on to add that United States’ policy on Northern Cyprus should be more focused towards attempting to secure the removal of Turkish troops from the island.

“I hope you will then conclude that it’s in the best interests of our nation to support a united democratic Cyprus, free of any Turkish occupation or any Turkish troops. I also hope you’ll realise that it’s not in the best interests of US corporations to explore investment options in the Turkish occupied section of Cyprus and reconsider this ill-advised trip,” he concluded.

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