Ministri vanjskih poslova ovog bloka otada ponavljaju tu obavezu, a države-članice su se u januaru složile da će raditi na otvaranju direktnih trgovinskih veza sa zajednicom kiparskih Turaka, čiju otcijepljenu republiku priznaje samo Ankara.
The bloc's foreign ministers have since reiterated that pledge, and member states agreed in January to work towards opening direct trade links with the Turkish Cypriot community, whose breakaway republic is recognized only by Ankara.