Mr. John David Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the proposed EEC/Cyprus customs union agreement will in practice include the Turkish Republic of northern Cyprus; whether it will only apply in practice to that part of the island of Cyprus governed by the Greek Cypriots; and if he will make a statement to explain how this new agreement can help both Greek Cypriots in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north of Cyprus.
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§ Mrs. ChalkerThe protocol to the EC—Cyprus association agreement, implementing the commitment in the agreement to develop a customs union, which was signed on 19 October, is governed by article 5 of the association agreement. This rules out discrimination between nationals or the companies of Cyprus. The Community has made it clear that the provisions of the protocol apply to the whole population of Cyprus. The interests of the Turkish Cypriot community were taken fully into account during the negotiations. We shall continue to trade with them. I am confident that they will benefit in practice.