Written question asked by Baroness Featherstone (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 20 November 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 22 November 2007. It was answered by Jim Murphy (Labour) on Thursday, 29 November 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Cyprus

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on trade with Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus.

Answer: The EU made a commitment in April 2004, reiterated in January 2007, ““to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots and facilitate the reunification of the Cyprus”” with ““particular emphasis on the economic integration of the island and on improving contact between the two communities and with the EU””. We fully support these objectives.The EU wants direct trade with northern Cyprus and the Government have supported the attempts of successive EU presidencies to realise this goal. We believe that this would bring Turkish Cypriots closer to Europe, slow the economic integration of northern Cyprus with Turkey, promote economic integration within Cyprus and reduce economic disparities between the two communities, so facilitating a settlement.

Secondary information