LEFKOSA - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said on Monday that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ''clearly put forth'' Cyprus policy of Turkish government in the speech he made in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on November 15.
Sener, who is paying an official visit to TRNC, was received by TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu.
State Minister Sener said that there were close relations between Turkey and TRNC and protocols were signed to improve those relations.
He was visiting TRNC in certain intervals as a requirement of protocols signed to improve economic atmosphere and increase employment capacity in TRNC and to increase level of welfare of Turkish Cypriots, Sener stated.
Sener said that they had agreed to review results of practices of Economic and Financial Cooperation Protocol and he was paying his visit to TRNC for that reason.
Performances in 2003 would be evaluated in his meeting, Sener pointed out.
Sener said that economic performances of TRNC were very important.
TRNC economy recorded a growth rate of 6.9 percent in 2002, Sener stated.
Sener noted that year-end growth rate target for 2003 was 5.4 percent but they predicted that this figure would be around 7 percent.
''The growth rate target for 2004 is around 7 percent. Therefore, we can see that the economic performance around 7 percent in the last three years is above world standards. This means that level of welfare per capita will increase by 50 percent in the following three-year period. So, I would like to state that we appreciate this economic performance,'' Sener said.
Stating that they aimed investments to be increased in TRNC by 160 million U.S. dollars of incentive, Sener said that all these investments showed that TRNC would reach a good economic performance. He added that they wanted Turkish Cypriot people to have bright future.
When reminded the opposition reacted him due to his visit to TRNC, Sener said that he also had a very close contact with Turkish Cypriot people during his previous visits to TRNC and stated that Turkish Cypriot people were very hospitable. He added that if a Turk who lived in TRNC told him why he came to TRNC now, Turkish Cypriot people were also hurt by this word. Stating that there were things which should be done, even if there was an election atmosphere, Sener said that if people had some things to do, election did not prevent those things.
He said that as long as Turkish Cypriot people wanted them to come to TRNC, they would come here anytime.
Upon a question on Turkish government's policy on Cyprus issue, Sener said that policy of the government was understood well by statements of head of this government and stated that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan put forth clearly the government's policy on Cyprus issue during his visits to TRNC.
Sener said that Prime Minister Erdogan delivered a speech on November 15, the anniversary of foundation of TRNC, and made public the government's views on Cyprus issue.
Eroglu said that they would assess practices in 2003 and discuss things that should be done in 2004 in the meeting.
(BRC-EÖ-AÖ) 08.12.2003