ANKARA - Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) should lift embargo on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Making a speech in Parliamentary Group meeting of CHP, Baykal referred to mutual passages in Cyprus and said that the step which was taken with the initiative of TRNC should not be left unreturned.
Noting that new encouraging openings were necessary for the solution of Cyprus question after that step, Baykal said that EU had a significant task about the issue.
Baykal said, ''it should be the turn of EU to move forward firstly. Because EU has undertook a role which history will deeply discuss regarding Cyprus issue. It is impossible for EU to remain silent on the current point. It should lift the embargo. When EU takes this decision, I believe that TRNC will and shall take more courageous, assertive steps.''
Baykal said that if embargo was lifted, the airport in Lefkosa would be opened to international traffic with the cooperation of TRNC and Greek Cypriot administration. Noting that EU had a historical opportunity, Baykal said, ''EU can make the biggest contribution to a peaceful solution by overcoming the obstacles, by lifting the embargo on TRNC, not with impositions. I believe that such a step will also contribute to creating a cooperation opportunity for benefiting from facilities in Maras and new steps will be taken.''
(GC-AÖ) 06.05.2003