As it might be remembered, the European
General A!airs Council declared on April 26,
2004 that the EU was ready to put an end to
the isolationist practices, which were being
imposed on the Turkish Cypriots for decades.
#e promise was made only two days a$er the
simultaneous referenda
4
on the adoption of
the Annan Plan, in other words immediately
*
Global Political Trends Center (GPoT), Istanbul Kültür Univer-
sity,
[email protected],
[email protected].
A
Forgotten Promise: Ending
the Isolation of Turkish Cypriots
1
MENSUR AKGÜN & SYLVIA TİRYAKİ*
Despite repeated calls and promises,
Turkish Cypriots live in economic,
political and humanitarian isolation.
is paper tries to address one aspect
of it and elaborates on the legal basis
of these isolationist practices imposed
on one side of the island. It challenges
the international legal validity of the
de facto
sanctions. Furthermore, it
claims that li!ing economic isolation
will also serve as a con"dence
building tool between Greek and
Turkish Cypriots as well as between
Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus
represented by the Greek Cypriots
since such an act will lead to Turkey’s
reciprocation and the normalization
of relations with the Republic of
Cyprus. It also argues that neither
the UN, nor the EU has ever
imposed any sanctions on Turkish
Cypriots and the policy of isolation,
as such, has only been practiced by
the Greek Cypriots and the Greeks.
is paper intends to clarify the
distinction between sanctions and
non-recognition. It also highlights
the promises made by the EU to the
Turkish Cypriots, in particular, the
one made on April 26, 2004, when
the Council of the EU proclaimed its
commitment to end the isolation of
the Turkish Cypriot community.
ABSTRACT
Insight Turkey Vol. 12 / No. 1 / 2010
pp. 23-36
MENSUR AKGÜN & SYLVIA TİRYAKİ
24
aer the rejection of the plan by the Greek Cypriot side by a 75.8 percent of the
votes casted.
In order to reward the Turkish Cypriots, the Council of the European Union
pledged to li the economic embargo and claimed that it was “determined to put
an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and to facilitate th
e
reuni€cation of Cyprus by encouraging the economic development of the Turkish
Cypriot community.”
5
e call to li the isolation of Turkish Cypriots by the EU Council was fol-
lowed by a similar call by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ko€ Annan. In
his report on his good o‚ces in Cyprus, he called upon all states “to eliminate
unnecessary restrictions and barriers that have the eƒect of isolating t
he Turkish
Cypriots and impeding their development, deeming such a move as consistent
with Security Council resolutions 541(1983) and 550(1984)
