ANKARA - Holding simultaneous referenda in Cyprus before May 1 was important, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Sunday.
After their tete-a-tete meeting, Gul and Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Obeid held a joint press conference.
Gul said that unilateral accession of the Greek Cypriot side to the European Union (EU), representing the whole island, on May 1 would obstruct everything.
Turkey was faithful to its commitments, Gul stated.
Gul noted, ''holding simultaneous referenda in Cyprus after May 1 will change many things for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).''
Expressing his view that simultaneous referenda in the island should be held before May 1, Gul noted that the Cypriot people would make the decision.
Gul stated that under which conditions separate referenda would be held in the island after May 1 and what TRNC's power would be, should be well-known, adding that they were aware of it.
Greek Cypriot communist AKEL party had made a call to the United Nations (U.N.) to delay the simultaneous referenda scheduled to be held in both sides in the island on April 24 for a few more months.
Following quartet Cyprus negotiations held among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece in Buergenstock, Switzerland in March, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his final plan to the parties.
This final plan will be put to simultaneous referenda in TRNC and Greek Cypriot side on April 24.
(BRC-AY) 12.04.2004