Talat: There Is Almost Full Consensus In World To End Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus's Isolation

LEFKOSA - There was almost full consensus in the world to end isolation of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and lift hurdles before economic development of TRNC, TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Thursday.
Talat, who returned from Turkey, told reporters that the world had started to understand Turkish Cypriots better and wanted to establish better relations with them.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat stressed that the decision of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to accept TRNC as ''Turkish Cypriot State'' from now on was an important development.
Touching on his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Talat said that it was the first time that a TRNC prime minister met with a Russian foreign minister.
Talat stated that the meeting was a result of attitude of the Turkish Cypriots towards a solution in the island and their positive votes for a solution under United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan in April 24th simultaneous referenda.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat quoted Lavrov as saying that UN Security Council should take measures to contribute to development of Turkish Cypriot economy, and recalled himself as saying that Turkish Cypriots had proved that they favored reunification of Cyprus.
Talat quoted himself as saying that Turkish Cypriots should no more be punished for a division of which they were not responsible.
TRNC Prime Minister Talat said that he demanded that Russia and other world countries should have a new point of view towards Cyprus issue.
Talat noted that he got the impressions that Russia would work to end isolation of Turkish Cypriots, and expressed thought that Russia would assume such an attitude when the UN Security Council would discuss the issue.
Expressing pleasure with the decision of the OIC, Talat hoped that TRNC's isolation would end after this development.
Participants of the 31st Session of the Islamic Conference of the Foreign Ministers of OIC decided on Wednesday that TRNC would be represented at the OIC under the name of ''Turkish Cypriot State'' as it was envisaged in the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan.
The joint communique of the conference, said, ''the member countries decide that the Turkish Muslim people of Cyprus should continue to participate in the work, activities and meetings of all OIC organs under the name envisaged by the United Nations Secretary General's settlement plan.''
The joint communique urged the member states to strengthen effective solidarity with the Turkish Muslim people of Cyprus closely associating with them, and with a view to helping them materially and politically to overcome the inhuman isolation which has been imposed upon them, to increase and expand their relations in all fields and in particular direct transport, trade, tourism, culture, information, investment and sports contacts.
However, the OIC decided to remain seized of the request of the Turkish Cypriot side of Cyprus for full membership of the OIC.
(BRC-AÖ) 17.06.2004