End The Isolation of Turkish Cypriots

Turkish Cypriots have been denied their basic human rights in the form of embargoes placed on them since at least 1963.

* Less than three years after Cyprus gained independence in 1960, the power sharing agreement between Greek and Turkish Cypriots broke down
and Turkish Cypriots were forced to live in enclaves which represented approx 3% of the island

* After a further 10 years of being subjected to abuse of their human rights and the threat of a Greek led coup attempting to unite Cyprus with Greece in 1974, Turkey came to the rescue of Turkish Cypriots and exercised their rights as one of the Guarantors of Cyprus and intervened.

* Since then, the Turkish Cypriots have had to deal with being held under the embargo of the Greek Cypriots who have been able to rebuild their lives without restriction since 1974.

* In 2004 The Annan Plan was an attempt to reunify the island, 65% of Turkish Cypriots voted for the plan and 76% of Greek Cypriots voted against. Turkish Cypriots were promised by the international community (EU, USA & UN) that they would be rewarded for voting for the plan as it demonstrated their desire to reunify Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots are still waiting for the world to make good on these promises!! The embargoes still stand today and this is unacceptable.

* The fact that these embargoes are still in place today is not conducive to the reconciliation of Cyprus and lifting them would pave the way for better communication between the people of Cyprus.