Turkish Cypriot authorities will start charging customs duties on goods carried by the United Nations to Greek Cypriots living in the north, the breakaway state’s ‘foreign minister’ said on Thursday.

Speaking to AFP in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Tahsin Ertugruloglu said he would inform UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix of the plan on Saturday “as a sign of goodwill.”

“The decision will be enforced as of October 1.”

Ertugruloglu said the recent collapse of the talks was the “proven failure” of a 50-year effort to create a federation, warning that Cyprus’ history has entered a new phase in which the UN will not be able to operate as before.

The UN peacekeeping force that has been deployed between the two communities since 1964 will have to learn to work with a more assertive Turkish Cypriot administration, he said.

Ertugruloglu cited the example of the goods the government sends to Greek Cypriots living in the north, in shipments carried on UN truck convoys.

“We keep telling them that that’s not necessary,” he said.”First of all, these people don’t need these supplies and they sell them to the Turkish Cypriots. But more importantly, the border crossings are free.

“The UN convoys are not going to be allowed to carry these things because it gives the impression that these people are enclaved in occupied territory.

“And if they continue to take these supplies up to the north, then we’re going to have to charge customs duty that the Greek Cypriots will be forced to pay.”

Cyprus Mail