LEFKOSA - A delegation of deputies from Democratic Rally (DISI), the main opposition party in the Greek Cypriot side, visited Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Sunday and attended a ceremony in Karpaz.
DISI delegation headed by deputy chairman Keti Clerides, spokesmen of the party Tassos Mitsopoulos, and political bureau members Sotiris Drahos and Fivo Nikolaidis attended the religious ceremony in a church in Sipahi village.
DISI deputies later went to Dipkarpaz and visited the Greek Cypriot primary school expected to be opened on Monday. The delegation then visited Apostolos Andreas Monastery in TRNC.
Keti Clerides told reporters that they came to TRNC to visit the Greek Cypriots living there.
Clerides said that ''she came to TRNC by showing policemen her passport'' and that ''she showed her passport since it was obligatory.''
Keti Clerides claimed that ''there was a single Cyprus'' and that ''she saw whole Cyprus as her country.'' She also claimed that ''one Cyprus joined the European Union (EU).''
Clerides noted that majority of Turkish Cypriots wanted to join the EU and that they had a number of contacts with the Turkish Cypriots and conducted concerted efforts to unite the island.
The Greek Cypriot deputies who passed to TRNC by showing their passports caused reactions in the Greek Cypriot side.
Greek Cypriot political parties claimed that the visit of the Greek Cypriot deputies by showing their passports could cause ''serious dangers'' while DISI Chairman Nikos Anastasiades alleged that ''the move did not make TRNC a state.''
(BRC-AÖ) 08.09.2003