ISTANBUL - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat has said that lifting embargoes imposed on TRNC was of great importance for them.
Talat who held several meetings under the body of the European Parliament returned from Brussels to Istanbul on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Talat stressed that necessary works should be carried out to save Turkish Cypriots from isolation.
Stating that lifting embargoes imposed on TRNC was of great importance for them, Talat said that sources that European Union (EU) would grant to Turkish Cypriots would be beneficial on the condition that embargoes were lifted, otherwise it would not be beneficial.
Talat noted that Turkey provided annually TRNC with 300 million U.S. dollars of contribution and stated that Turkish Cypriot economy did not develop due to embargoes. Stating that as long as embargoes continued, EU's 250 million U.S. dollars did not mean anything, Talat said that Turkish Cypriots should be rescued from isolation. Noting that direct flights should be made to Cyprus, Talat said that sports and trade embargoes should be lifted.
Stating that Turkish Cypriots' adjustment studies to EU would continue, Talat said that it was a very important advantage for TRNC.
Talat stated that TRNC Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas and he would hold a meeting Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara on Thursday.
''We will carry out political adjustment works. We will evaluate the situation from now on. We will try to determine what kind of an attitude Turkish side will assume following the latest developments,'' he noted.
Talat added that they would determine steps which would be taken to rescue Turkish Cypriots from isolation and overcome possible obstacles in front of Turkey's EU path.
(EÖ-AY) 28.04.2004