Chambers meet, vow support in Cyprus talks

Turkish and Greek Cypriot chambers of commerce, along with those of Turkey and Greece, met June 2 in the U.N.-controlled buffer zone in a bid to boost the negotiation process with both sides pledging support to the reunification of the divided island.

Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, his Greek counterpart, Constantine Michalos, and the chairmen of the Cypriot sides, Fikri Toros and Phisias Pilides, attended the meeting, where they agreed to implement confidence-building measures and pave the way for economic and business cooperation.

“I hope this step will create a dialogue mechanism which will change the rules of the game among the business world. We support this process to the end,” Hisarcıklıoğlu said at a press conference. For his part, Michalos added that this step is a historical one and will provide great benefits to the island’s economy and increase its prosperity.

“A viable, fair and functional solution to the Cyprus problem will reinforce stability and security in the area, creating huge opportunities for cooperation and business transactions between Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, as well as European and Middle-East markets,” said a joint statement from the chambers.

They affirmed their inclination to support the political leadership. “We are before a significant opportunity to solve the Cyprus problem, and the chambers will make every effort to make sure it is not missed,” the statement said.

The next meeting will take place in Istanbul on Sept. 14.