VIENNA - Promises about lifting of isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) were written on ice and so far they had not been kept, TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas said on Wednesday.
''Nothing has happened since the referendum. Any embargo has not been lifted. This uncertain expectancy both incites people's anger and shakes confidence in international community.''
Speaking to the A.A correspondent in Austrian capital Vienna, Denktas said that international public opinion had always listened to the Cyprus issue unilaterally. ''With results of the referendum, the Turkish Cypriot side won sympathy. We will work on gaining several acquisitions with this sympathy and we will continue explaining the developments in Cyprus to the international public opinion through our perspective.''
Serdar Denktas said that he had objectively informed Austrian diplomats, politicians, journalists and investors on developments in Cyprus in a special meeting organized in Vienna by the Association of Johns Hopkins University Graduates.
''They have a serious lack of information as they were informed unilaterally for years. They showed great interest in my speech. For example, I told them that direct flights to the Northern Cyprus do not need political recognition, but Greek Cypriots oppose to it,'' he said.
Stating that the United States, EU and UN had statements of intention on lifting isolation on TRNC, Denktas said, ''however, no one has any information how isolation will be lifted de facto.''
''Both EU and also UN have good will to lift isolation. But their own rules prevent it,'' Denktas said.
Denktas said that map in the Annan plan created an additional problem, stressing that there was economic stagnation in regions that were mentioned in the map to be given to Greek Cypriots. Denktas noted that there was a big uncertainty.
''We continue to live with Cyprus issue. There is nothing that has been solved. On the contrary, there are more problems now. EU made the biggest mistake. EU accepted a country which did not solve its problem as a member. The problem is not of Turkey now, but it is of EU. According to us, the solution is that recognized two states should be brought together in the system of EU,'' he noted.
Stressing that direct flights to TRNC should be started to break isolation towards TRNC, Denktas said that when they were extending efforts to break the isolation, they would put forth that TRNC was open to solution and did not lose its vision for solution.
''We are not making any demand on recognition now. But it will not continue like that by waiting for Greek Cypriots. If we see that there is not any change in Greek Cypriot side, then we will close all doors and windows. We will make demand on recognition of TRNC by saying that there is nothing without recognition,'' Denktas stressed.
Denktas, who will complete his meetings in Vienna, is to return to TRNC on Thursday.
(MS-EÖ-AÖ) 30.06.2004