§ 15. Mr. O'HaraTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of (a) imports and (b) exports between the United Kingdom and northern Cyprus in the last three years for which records are kept.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe Government do not recognise the northern Cyprus regime. Therefore, northern Cyprus is not separately identified by Customs and Excise in the United Kingdom trade statistics.
§ Mr. O'HaraIs not it the case, as the recent exploits of Asil Nadir brought to public attention, that a considerable amount of trade goes on between the United Kingdom and northern Cyprus? Should not the Government now take a closer interest in the terms under which such trade is conducted? In particular, how many of the business assets through which that trade is conducted belong legally to refugees who were dispossessed in 1974? is not it an insult to those refugees that in the last honours list an OBE was awarded to a northern Cyprus business man for his services to trade with the United Kingdom? Should not the Government now review their policy of accepting export credit certificates from a regime which the United Kingdom does not recognise and which evidently does not recognise any obligations to the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. NeedhamThe hon. Gentleman is fully aware that the trade that takes place between the island of Cyprus and the United Kingdom is regulated through the association agreement with the Community and, therefore, is a Community matter. We recognise the island of Cyprus as a whole and it would be unthinkable to the people on the rest of the island if we differentiated between one part and another.