ANKARA - Turkey expected the international community to respond to United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan's call in his good offices report and establish direct relations with Turkish Cypriots, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said on Thursday.
Tan told a weekly press briefing that Annan, in his report unveiled on June 3, called on the international community and UN Security Council to lift embargoes imposed on Turkish Cypriots, and to end isolation of these people.
''We expect the international community to respond to these calls and to establish direct relations with Turkish Cypriots,'' Tan said.
Tan stated that the report put the responsibility of failure in April 24th simultaneous referenda on Annan plan on the Greek Cypriot side, criticized attitude of the Greek Cypriots during negotiations and before the referenda, but stressed that lasting solution in Cyprus should depend on political equality or partnership.
The report questioned sincerity of the Greek Cypriot side, and said that the Greek Cypriot side should show they wanted solution based on political equality and partnership not only by word, but also by their moves.
Annan plan was voted in simultaneous referenda in Cyprus on April 14. Majority of Turkish Cypriot people voted in favor of the plan while the Greek Cypriot side rejected it. Therefore, the plan was not put into practice.
TRNC wants the international community to lift embargoes and end isolation of its people as majority of its people voted in favor of the plan.
(BRC-AÖ) 10.06.2004