EU pledges aid for Turkish Cyprus

Talat: Seeking suspension of Greek Cypriot membership

The EU has pledged to release almost 260m euros (£170m) to Turkish Cypriots, following their approval of a UN plan to reunify the island.

The money is aimed at ending the economic isolation of Northern Cyprus after years of sanctions.

The UN plan was accepted by 65% of Turkish Cypriots, but Greek rejection means it cannot come into force.

Turkish Cypriot PM Mehmet Ali Talat has meanwhile formally asked the EU to freeze Greek Cypriot membership.

Mr Talat was due in Brussels on Monday for talks with enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen, who has already bitterly criticised the Greek Cypriot handling of the peace process.

Mr Verheugen said the EU would work with the Turkish Cypriot authorities to boost the economy but this did not mean that the north would be recognised as a separate state.

"I strongly reject the idea that co-operation is recognition in the sense of international law," he said.

Mr Talat is also likely to travel to Washington in the coming days, officials said.

Economic sanctions have been in force for years, leaving many Turkish Cypriots with a low standard of living.

In order not to reward the Greek Cypriots, we asked that EU laws not be applied to the south until there is a solution Mehmet Ali Talat

The government will now press for the right to sell goods direct to Europe, and for direct flights to be resumed.

Details of Mr Talat's bid to freeze Cypriot membership were carried by Turkish Cypriot news agency Tak.

It said Mr Talat had written to Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, asking for membership to be suspended until the island could join as one.

"The Turkish people of the north, where EU laws will not apply, have done their best for a solution, whereas the south has not done so," Tak quoted him as saying.

Turkish Cypriot support for the peace plan was blocked by Greek rejection

"Therefore in order not to reward the Greek Cypriots, we asked that EU laws not be applied to the south until there is a solution, and the island enters the EU as a whole.

"In other words ... membership should be frozen."

Cyprus joins the EU on 1 May along with nine other states.

EU officials are angry that the divisions have not been overcome.

"We're all profoundly disappointed that this historic opportunity has been lost," EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said.

"I don't think the leadership of the Greek Cypriot community have behaved well, to put it mildly - gagging (European) commissioners' attempts to speak in the community and so on."

The island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded in response to a short-lived coup by Greek Cypriots.