Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus's Demands Are End Of Isolation, Economic Embargoes And Restrictions On Flights

ISTANBUL - Demands of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) from the United States were end of isolation policies against TRNC, end of economic embargoes imposed on TRNC, and end of restrictions on flights from and to TRNC, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Monday.
Talat held a press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before he left for the United States.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat said that he would hold several meetings in the United States, particularly with U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell and United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Talat noted that he would explain difficult situation of Turkish Cypriots during their meetings in the United States.
''I am going to the United States to hold a series of meetings. Our main demands are end of isolation, economic embargoes and restrictions on flight,'' Talat added.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side voted United Nations (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.
The Greek Cypriot side joined on Saturday the EU together with nine other countries including Estonia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia.
The Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) of the European Union (EU) took on April 28 measures to ease economic isolation of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with changes it made to Cyprus regulations.
The measures taken by COREPER, comprised of permanent representatives of EU member countries in Brussels, facilitate sale of goods produced in TRNC, which have been subject to embargoes so far, in EU market across the Green Line.
(BRC-AÖ) 03.05.2004