CYPRUS BLOCKS BAKU PARTICIPATION IN EU WIDER EUROPE: NEW NEIGHBORS PROGRAM

Pan Armenian News
27.09.2005 06:10

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Republic of Cyprus has vetoed Azerbaijan’s
candidacy and blocked participation of Baku in EUWider Europe: New
Neighbors program.

Thus, the Azerbaijan-EU talks are delayed for an indefinite period
of time.

As reported by Day.az Azeri agency, the suspension of the program is
due to the Cyprus attitude towards Azerbaijan over direct air flights
between Baku and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Greek Cyprus
has officially posed the question of suspension of EU assistance to
Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, as reported the Zerkalo Baku newspaper, head
of the Department of Information of the Azeri MFA Tahir Tagizade
stated the delays in question are due to technical causes. The
Azeri party has provided documents to Brussels and is waiting for
the EU response. In particular, the date of arrival of a special EU
delegation to Azerbaijan is to be determined. “There are no other
motives,” T. Tagizade stated. In his words, there is no ground for
attribution to the Cyprus issue, as “the policy of Azeri authorities
lies in lifting the international humanitarian isolation of the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus. The latter is welcomed by international
organizations, specifically the UN and EU.” The flights to the Turkish
Cyprus are organized by private Azeri companies and are not part of
Azeri Government’s official policy, T. Tagizade stated.