το state department για τους Τουρκοκύπριους

Office of the Press Secretary

Washington, DC

January 22, 2007

Question taken at Daily Briefing of Jan. 22, 2007

Cyprus: European Union Foreign Ministers' Statement

Question: Does the State Department have a comment or reaction to the EU Foreign Ministers' statement today agreeing to re-launch moves to end trade restrictions on northern Cyprus?

Answer: We are pleased to see the EU following up on a commitment it made to Turkish Cypriots in 2004.

We support the easing of the economic isolation of Turkish Cypriots as a way toreduce disparities between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, and thereby facilitate reunification of the island.

This is, ultimately, a matter for the EU to decide.

2007/043

Released on January 22, 2007