Brussels, 24/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The EP High Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish-Cypriot community visited Cyprus on 23 and 24 November for meetings with representatives of civil society, students, NGOs, trade unions and chambers of commerce. During their stay, they visited the EU programme Support Office in the northern part of the island, which is responsible for implementing the substantial funds made available for projects in various sectors (infrastructure, economic and social development, etc.). The Commission work in this area is exemplary in terms of both speed and commitment, stressed the MEPs, and they hoped that the efforts of the Finnish Presidency to bring the isolation of North Cyprus to an end would lead to a win-win situation for the whole island. For the second time in three visits, the group of MEPs was refused entry to the fenced-off area of Varosha. Françoise Grossetête (EPP-ED, France) is the coordinator of the Contact Group, which is made up of Mechthild Rothe (PES, Germany), Karin Resetarits (ALDE, Austria), Cem Özdemir (Greens/EFA, Germany), Francis Wurtz (GUE/NGL, France) and Ryszard Czarnecki (UEN, Poland). (ab)