Erdogan: We Wish Cyprus Would Become An Island Of Peace As United Cyprus Republic

ADAPAZARI - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, ''we hope that this problem which has existed between our brothers and sisters in Cyprus and Greek Cypriots for long years would be resolved and Cyprus would become an island of peace as United Cyprus Republic.''
Erdogan answered questions of reporters prior to his departure for Sarajevo to attend ''Summit of Heads of State and Government of Southeast European Countries Cooperation Process''.
Asked whether he would have a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis in Sarajevo, Erdogan said, ''undoubtedly, I will have meetings with all participants.''
Asked whether those were scheduled meetings, Erdogan said that there was not any scheduled meeting but he would have meetings.
Replying to another question, the Prime Minister said that also Cyprus issue might come onto the agenda of meetings.
Asked whether ''win-and-win'' policy which was followed during Cyprus talks would be put into practice also in the Balkans and problematic regions in Caucasus, Erdogan said, ''the result on referenda in Cyprus is very important. So it is very important to us. On basis of this 'win-and-win', I believe that the result we will get from our efforts will constitute a model to other steps in neighboring countries also through our influence. Under this issue, there are countries in our agenda. We will try to help them. There are countries which request our assistance.''
''We hope that this problem which has existed between our brothers and sisters in Cyprus and Greek Cypriots for long years would be resolved and Cyprus would become an island of peace as United Cyprus Republic. It will be the key to many solutions,'' Erdogan added.
Erdogan said that Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul went to Sarajevo to attend the process's foreign ministers' meeting and participate in the summit together with him. Erdogan said that seven state parties to the process Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro and Romania were attending the summit which was called ''Balkans Summit'' in which Croatia would participate as an observer and Moldova as special guest.
Noting that also international organizations operating in the Balkans would be represented in the summit, Erdogan said, ''functions of the process will be the prior issue to be discussed in the summit. Romania will take over term presidency from Bosnia-Herzegovina. As it is known that Turkey has so far made pioneering contributions to foundation and development of the Balkans cooperation process.''
''The process is the only Balkans cooperation formula which reflects the common will and peculiar voice of the region on basis of the experiences under similar initiatives launched in the region in 1930s, 1950s and 1980s. At the same time, it exists as an activity and forum. The process which basically targets to bring solutions to problems through regional political dialogue and common will has become critically important on today's international conditions in terms of securing and consolidation peace and stability in the Balkans,'' he said.
Stating that the Sarajevo summit would offer Gul and him the opportunity of holding bilateral meetings with their counterparts from the Balkan countries, Erdogan said that those meetings would continue until Wednesday evening.
(MS) 20.04.2004