LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Thursday that Turkish Cypriots were not responsible for insolubility in the island, adding ''we, Turkish Cypriots, want removal of every type of isolation.''
Talat received Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone Momodu Koroma who is currently in TRNC for official meetings.
TRNC Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas also attended the meeting.
Talat said that he was pleased to see Koroma in TRNC especially after positive developments in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
Noting that Turkish Cypriots have always been in favor of solution and wanted the removal of every type of isolation, Talat said that Turkish Cypriot side was not responsible for the insolubility in the island and recent developments proved this.
Talat said that negative attitude of Greek Cypriot side prevented reaching solution. He added that Turkish Cypriots wanted removal of economic, political, cultural and every type of isolation.
Talat said that Turkish Cypriots gained a new status with the decision of OIC and they were pleased with that decision. Talat wished close cooperation with Sierra Leone to continue from now on.
Koroma said that there were many common points between two countries, adding that relations could be carried to a higher level when those points were focused on.
(GC-AY) 17.06.2004