ANKARA - Cyprus issue had been laid on a new ground after Saturday's simultaneous referenda in the island, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday.
Speaking in the meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at the parliament, Gul said, ''this ground has provided a great advantage for Turkey and TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus).''
Stressing that Cyprus issue was a national cause, Gul said that two peoples living in the island for centuries whose religion, language and race were separate, determined future of Cyprus with their own will.
Gul stated that Turkey was proved to be rightful in the experienced process.
Recalling that the Greek Cypriot side did not accept reunification, Gul said that the result of the Saturday's simultaneous referenda in the island had proved that the uncompromising side was the Greek Cypriot side.
Gul pointed out that the result of the referenda shocked the United Nations (U.N.) and the European Union (EU).
All the world watched the developments with astonishment, Gul stated.
Gul said that statements insulting his party, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and him were made during the process in Cyprus.
Open or secret alliances were made against them, Gul noted.
Gul stated that those who were against them showed a patriotism which was based on heroism.
Turkish Foreign Minister Gul called on wise intellectuals to make objective analyses.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side voted U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in simultaneous referenda held on April 24.
Sixty-five percent of Turkish Cypriots voted ''yes'' to the Annan plan while 35.09 percent voted against the plan in the simultaneous referenda. A total of 75.83 percent of the Greek Cypriots said ''no'' to the plan while 24.17 of them voted ''yes.''
The rate of participation in the referendum was 84.35 in TRNC and 96.53 percent in the Greek Cypriot side.
(BRC-AY) 27.04.2004