Cypriot Business Leaders To Hear EU Rapprochement Plan

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

20 May 2003

Representatives from the business communites from both sides of the Cypriot divide are due to travel to Brussels where EU officials plan to brief them on a Commission plan to foster improved cooperation and boost the economy of the island as a whole.

The delegations will be drawn from the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce (KEVE) and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber, the respective presidents of which met for discussions last week. At this meeting, Vasilis Rologis (KEVE) and Ari Erel (Turkish Cypriot Chamber) expressed the need for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question, in order that both business communities can cooperate efficiently.

Erel expressed support for the "well balanced" and "well designed" UN bartered plan for a Cyprus settlement which was rejected by Rauf Denktash earlier this year, observing that "it can be revised once again" and that both sides have to "discuss every small detail accordingly."

Commenting on future dialogue, Erel observed that: "It is much better for everybody if we talk about a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. Therefore I think it is a good idea to let people meet each other, to talk to each other, to let them know each other but at the same time we have to work for a comprehensive settlement and we have to think of Varosha within this scope of thinking."

However, Erel continued: "But it is my general feeling that it will not be very easy to improve the economy in the north without a comprehensive settlement. We shall come to face in the very near future that even the trade is going to be very difficult not because the business people don't want to cooperate but because unfortunately there are the well-known positions of the two sides, recognition and not recognition issues."

Meanwhile Rologis confirmed that the two business organisations are planning to hold regular talks in the future to discuss ways in which greater cooperation can be mutually beneficial. He also said that the KEVE is committed to assisting the Turkish Commerce Chamber on all fronts, but especially within the sphere of European issues.

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