World Bank Ready To Extend Aid To Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus

ANKARA - World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said on Sunday that the bank was ready to extend aid to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) after international parties laid down their proposals.
Vorkink told the A.A correspondent that what was important in Cyprus was ''providing justness and equality''.
Stating that the result of twin referenda held in Cyprus on April 24 created a big disappointment, Vorkink said that sound economic growth could have been provided in Cyprus.
Vorkink said that there was difference of income between the two sides in Cyprus and noted that economic growth was 6 percent in TRNC while it was 2 percent in the Greek Cypriot side. He stressed that TRNC had a higher growth potential than the other side.
Vorkink said that they supported TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat's successful work and underlined that TRNC's problems in economy should be listed first.
Stating that TRNC's tourism potential was bigger than tourism potential of the Greek Cypriot side, Vorkink said that they believed that foreign investment would be made in tourism.
Vorkink said that Talat has been working for direct flights to TRNC and this issue was of great importance for TRNC.
Stressing that U.N. officials were expected to submit a report on TRNC to United Nations (UN) Security Council at the end of this month, Vorkink said that they had information that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell would bring forth a package of proposal on TRNC within two or three weeks.
Vorkink added that they believed that international community would assume a just attitude towards TRNC and support TRNC financially.
TRNC and Greek Cypriot side voted UN 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.
Thus, Annan plan was not put into practice in the island.
(EÖ-BRC) 23.05.2004