STRASBOURG - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was determined to enhance cooperation with all institutions and organs of the Council of Europe (COE), TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Friday.
Talat held a press conference after his meetings with European Union (EU) officials in Brussels and COE officials in Strasbourg.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat noted that he observed significant developments in perspectives of the EU and COE on TRNC.
Talat said that his meetings in Brussels and Strasbourg were very positive and fruitful.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat emphasized importance of call of the United Nations (UN) to end isolation of TRNC, and stated that it was natural that the EU was acting in line with the UN call.
Touching on his meeting with European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) President Luzius Wildhaber, Talat said that he voiced his and TRNC`s views, and stated that TRNC government had attached great importance to human rights and democracy.
Talat recalled that he and Wildhaber discussed moves like opening a Greek Cypriot secondary school in Karpaz in the following school year, reviewing school books on history, and making the Committee on Missing Persons more efficient.
TRNC wanted to open an office in COE, and wanted COE to open an office in its territory, Talat said.
Talat noted that his country was ready to cooperate with Venice Commission in order to see whether or not legal arrangements to be made in TRNC would comply with COE`s principles.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat, who came to Strasbourg after completing meetings in Brussels on Thursday, met with ECHR President Luzius Wildhaber earlier on Friday and called on the Court to bethink results of the twin referenda in Cyprus. Talat then met with COE Secretary General Schwimmer.
Talat is expected to depart from Strasbourg on Saturday.
TRNC is expecting international community to lift embargoes and end isolation of its people after majority of the Turkish Cypriot people voted in favor of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan`s plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in simultaneous referenda held in Cyprus on April 24. The Greek Cypriot side rejected the plan. Therefore, the plan was not put into practice in the island.
(BRC) 11.06.2004