WASHINGTON - Following the efforts of Turkey and Turkish Cypriot side for a solution on Cyprus, for the first time a U.S. official visited representative office of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in Washington on Thursday.
U.S. State Department`s Special Coordinator for Cyprus Tom Weston visited TRNC`s Representative Osman Ertug.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Weston said they took important steps to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots. He said they would do their best to contribute to the economy in Northern Cyprus to have an equal economic level with the Greek Cypriots.
Weston said they considered this a key part of their target and that his visit was a part of this approach.
Weston said the United States started visa implementations that will facilitate travelling and working conditions of the Turkish Cypriots and at the same time took measures to facilitate conditions for U.S. citizens to have their holiday in Northern Cyprus. He noted that this would also have an economic contribution.
Weston emphasized that the United States worked on several other measures and that those would be announced after an evaluation process. He noted that they were in a process to develop a financial aid package to Northern Cyprus at the time being.
Asked about his views about the decision of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that TRNC would be represented at the OIC under the name of ``Turkish Cypriot State``, Weston said there was a change in name but that there was not a change in its status. He said TRNC was still in observer status in OIC.
Weston said this change in the name reflected the approach in the plan and report of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, stating that Annan wanted international organizations to put into practice some implementations like putting an end to the isolation of Northern Cyprus and lifting unnecessary limitations. Weston said they welcomed attitude of OIC within this framework.
Replying to a question about the call of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos to negotiate Annan plan again, Weston said Papadopoulos could make a call for negotiation again but that he does not have an interlocutor to make the negotiation. He said there was not a support from the international community for this, and stressed that UN Secretary General openly stated that there was no place in the plan for negotiation again.
Weston said U.S. expended full support to the call of the UN Secretary General to the UN Security Council to remove unnecessary limitations on Northern Cyprus.
(AY) 17.06.2004