LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Saturday that they aimed to solve Cyprus issue with ''yes'' votes of two sides in the island in the simultaneous referenda to be held in Cyprus on April 24.
Talat, who returned from Brussels where he attended preparatory donors' conference to provide financial support in the context of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, that Brussels was waiting for them whether or not they solved the Cyprus issue.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat said that he was extended great support during his meetings.
Noting that his visit to Brussels showed the important change in Turkish Cypriot foreign policy, Talat said that it was the first visit paid by Turkish Cypriot prime minister to the European Union (EU) center. He added, ''they have started to understand us.''
Talat said that his meetings were successful and fruitful and noted that there were much to do once solution was reached.
When asked why Greek Cypriot communist AKEL party, which earlier stated it would say ''no'' to the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for Cyprus in referendum, had changed its stance, Talat said that change in AKEL's stance had two reasons.
Talat noted that one of them was that main opposition party DISI decided to say ''yes'' and the other reason was pressure of the United States and the world on the Greek Cypriot side.
Talat said that AKEL had stated that it could change its stance if some assurances were given. He pointed out that he thought AKEL was trying to assume a right attitude.
When asked whether the amount stated in donors' conference was satisfactory for him, Talat said that the United States suggested 400 million U.S. dollars and Britain 31 million Euro.
Talat said that other countries would decide whether or not they could extend financial support to Cyprus and amount of their possible assistance after this issue was discussed by their officials.
Noting that it was a preparatory meeting and the real conference would be held in September or October, Talat said, ''evaluations will be made and countries will decide on how much financial support they can extend to Cyprus till the real conference. This preliminary conference showed that countries are supporting the solution of Cyprus issue and the Annan Plan. This especially has become a very good signal for the Greek Cypriot side. Positive political and economic signals were given in the meeting.''
Talat went to Brussels on Wednesday to attend the preparatory donors' conference held to provide financial support in the context of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.
Holding a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Talat said that Turkish Cypriots would never accept Greek Cypriots' representing the entire island.
In the preparatory meeting held on Thursday, Talat said that peoples in Cyprus would determine their future on their own.
Talat met with EU foreign policy and security chief Javier Solana later on Thursday. EU sources said recent developments on Cyprus and simultaneous referenda to be held on April 24 on Cyprus were discussed at the meeting. Solana expressed wish of the EU to see a united Cyprus within itself on May 1.
U.N. Secretary General Annan presented his final plan to parties at the end of Cyprus negotiations in Buergenstock, Switzerland on March 31.
This plan will be put to simultaneous referenda in TRNC and Greek Cypriot side on April 24.
(GC-BRC) 18.04.2004