ANKARA - U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that U.N. Security Council members should lead to other countries to cooperate to eliminate unnecessary restrictions that had the effect of isolating Turkish Cypriots.
The report that Annan is expected to submit to the Security Council on Wednesday summarized process on Cyprus issue so far and touched on restrictions imposed on Turkish Cypriots.
''I would hope members of U.N. Security Council can give a strong lead to all States to cooperate both bilaterally and in international bodies to eliminate unnecessary restrictions and bathers that have the effect of isolating the Turkish Cypriots and impeding their development,'' Annan noted in the report.
Recalling that the parties committed on February 13, 2004 to negotiating in good faith on the basis of the plan to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem through separate and simultaneous referenda before 1 May 2004, Annan said that to this end, a consensus was reached on three-phase negotiation process.
Annan recalled that the first phase of negotiations was held by parties on the island between February 19 and March 22 and noted that this effort could not provide an important political progress. Annan stressed that however, positive results were achieved at technical level. Recalling that the second phase of negotiation process was held in Buergenstock town of Switzerland, he said that the opportunity could not been used and parties could not reach an agreement on the finalized plan in negotiations that were concluded on March 29.
Noting that he submitted on March 31 the finalized plan to be put to referendum after his meetings with parties, he said that the balance between issues on which parties had some sensitivities was taken into account in the finalized plan.
Annan said in the report that Greek Cypriot side voted against while Turkish Cypriot side voted in favor of the plan in simultaneous referenda which were held in two sides on the island, adding that's why the plan did not go into effect.
Stressing that this result showed that another opportunity was missed to solve Cyprus issue, Annan said that international community should respect decision of Greek Cypriots, but this decision was also an important interruption.
Kofi Annan stressed, ''if the Greek Cypriots are ready to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots in a federal structure based on political equality, this needs to be demonstrated, not just by word, but by action.''
The report said that Turkish Cypriots' decision in referendum was appreciated and noted that Turkish Cypriot leadership and the Government of Turkey made clear that they respected the wishes of the Turkish Cypriots for bicommunal, bi-zonal federation.
Annan said that U.N. Security Council members should lead to other countries to cooperate to eliminate unnecessary restrictions that had the effect of isolating Turkish Cypriots.
(EÖ-AÖ) 02.06.2004