LEFKOSA - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said on Wednesday that they wanted Turkish Cypriots to live happily and in security.
Sener departed from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), where he paid an official visit.
Prior to his departure, Sener told reporters that he was pleased with his meetings in TRNC and he met with TRNC President Rauf Denktas and other officials.
Projects under practice in cooperation between two countries were taken up in his meetings, Sener said.
Sener noted that he once more saw the importance of cooperation between Turkey and TRNC during his meetings.
The Economic and Financial Cooperation Protocol signed in April 2002 foresaw projects which would increase level of income of Turkish Cypriot people, Sener pointed out.
Sener said that those projects would be implemented in 2004 and they would continue their cooperation with TRNC government in coming years.
When he was recalled about the news that ''Sener himself wanted to visit TRNC and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not warm towards this visit,'' and asked about his views, Sener said that issues in Turkish Republic were done within the scope of laws and a foreign visit of a minister was paid under a decision of the Council of Ministers.
Sener emphasized that all members of Council of Ministers, particularly Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, consented to his visit.
Even if he was not a minister, he would always visit TRNC, Sener added.
(BRC-AÖ) 10.12.2003