BURSA - Huseyin Beyar, the Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Municipalities Union said on Monday that ''after the doors were opened between the two sides, Greek Cypriots saw that the Turkish Cypriot side didn't live in poverty and under the military pressure and the Turkish Cypriots saw that there was not much difference with the Greek Cypriot side.
This has decreased the tension a little bit, said Beyar who visited Bursa Mayor Erdogan Bilenser the same day.
The Turkish Cypriot Municipalities Union found useful the opening of the border gates between the two sides in Cyprus on April 23, Beyar said. Turkish Cypriots thought before the opening of the border gates that people living in the Greek Cypriot side were in prosperity while Greek Cypriots thought that people living in the TRNC were living in poverty and under military administration.
The Turkish Cypriot Municipalities Union's attitude regarding Cyprus problem was in line with that of the state, he said adding that Annan plan didn't ensure the necessary guarantee and living conditions.
Beyar said that the position of 100,000 persons living in TRNC which had a population of 200,000 would be uncertain if Annan plan was put into practice. They wished reaching peace on the island either by revising Annan plan through Greek Cypriot side's making its attitude more flexible or by preparing a new plan.
(Öª-AÖ) 18.08.2003