ANKARA - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said at his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that efforts had been under way within the structure of the European Union (EU) to put an end to isolation against Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), adding that they would assess the issue in the EU.
Sources told the A.A correspondent on Monday that Prime Minister Erdogan had asked Prime Minister Blair to hold direct flights to the Ercan Airport in Lefkosa and to increase British investments in TRNC.
In response, Blair told Erdogan that he would seek for ways within the structure of the EU.
Prime Minister Erdogan said, ``although the Greek Cypriot side rejected United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan in the referendum on April 24, it was accepted as a new member of the EU. Now, we want the international community to support the Turkish Cypriot side which voted in favor of the plan.``
Prime Minister Blair said that if the Greek Cypriot side did not change its attitude, everything would become negative for them.
Referring to Turkey`s EU membership process, Prime Minister Blair said that there was not any problem in the British public opinion to this end.
He noted that although governments of some countries supported Turkey`s membership to the EU, their public opinions rejected it.
Stressing that some steps should be taken to remove hesitations of those public opinions, Blair said that steps could be taken on the issues of religious freedoms and human rights.
Blair said that most of problems stemmed from economic hesitations.
Noting that such countries were afraid of Turkey`s being an important country, Blair said that Turkey could not be compared to Estonia to this end.
Blair called on Erdogan to maintain economic reforms and to explain those reforms to European public opinions.
Stressing that Europe also felt the changes in Turkey as a result of reforms, Blair noted that the Turkish government`s attitude about the Cyprus issue had very positive impacts.
Prime Minister Erdogan informed Prime Minister Blair on recent package of constitutional amendments.
Meanwhile, the issue of re-trial process of Leyla Zana, the former deputy of the Democracy Party (DEP) which was banned by the Constitutional Court, was also discussed at the meeting.
Stressing that the European public opinion was very sensitive about the issue, Blair said that coming to a conclusion in the case would create a positive atmosphere.
Prime Minister Erdogan said, ``the case had started before we have come into power. We started the re-trial process. However, there is judiciary independence in Turkey. We also want the issue to reach a conclusion.``
Blair said that the EU had displayed a contradictory attitude, noting that the EU wanted Turkey to assume an attitude about the case while it was talking about supremacy of law and judiciary independence.
Recalling that the State Security Courts (DGMs) would be annulled under the new constitutional amendments, Erdogan said, ``if Zana and her friends will be re-tried, a civilian court will hear the case.``
(UK) 17.05.2004
ANKARA - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said at his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that efforts had been under way within the structure of the European Union (EU) to put an end to isolation against Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), adding that they would assess the issue in the EU.
Sources told the A.A correspondent on Monday that Prime Minister Erdogan had asked Prime Minister Blair to hold direct flights to the Ercan Airport in Lefkosa and to increase British investments in TRNC.
In response, Blair told Erdogan that he would seek for ways within the structure of the EU.
Prime Minister Erdogan said, ``although the Greek Cypriot side rejected United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan in the referendum on April 24, it was accepted as a new member of the EU. Now, we want the international community to support the Turkish Cypriot side which voted in favor of the plan.``
Prime Minister Blair said that if the Greek Cypriot side did not change its attitude, everything would become negative for them.
Referring to Turkey`s EU membership process, Prime Minister Blair said that there was not any problem in the British public opinion to this end.
He noted that although governments of some countries supported Turkey`s membership to the EU, their public opinions rejected it.
Stressing that some steps should be taken to remove hesitations of those public opinions, Blair said that steps could be taken on the issues of religious freedoms and human rights.
Blair said that most of problems stemmed from economic hesitations.
Noting that such countries were afraid of Turkey`s being an important country, Blair said that Turkey could not be compared to Estonia to this end.
Blair called on Erdogan to maintain economic reforms and to explain those reforms to European public opinions.
Stressing that Europe also felt the changes in Turkey as a result of reforms, Blair noted that the Turkish government`s attitude about the Cyprus issue had very positive impacts.
Prime Minister Erdogan informed Prime Minister Blair on recent package of constitutional amendments.
Meanwhile, the issue of re-trial process of Leyla Zana, the former deputy of the Democracy Party (DEP) which was banned by the Constitutional Court, was also discussed at the meeting.
Stressing that the European public opinion was very sensitive about the issue, Blair said that coming to a conclusion in the case would create a positive atmosphere.
Prime Minister Erdogan said, ``the case had started before we have come into power. We started the re-trial process. However, there is judiciary independence in Turkey. We also want the issue to reach a conclusion.``
Blair said that the EU had displayed a contradictory attitude, noting that the EU wanted Turkey to assume an attitude about the case while it was talking about supremacy of law and judiciary independence.
Recalling that the State Security Courts (DGMs) would be annulled under the new constitutional amendments, Erdogan said, ``if Zana and her friends will be re-tried, a civilian court will hear the case.``
(UK) 17.05.2004