LEFKOSA - Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said Monday "the OIC wishes to see equal treatment of Turkish Cypriots on their own land and end the unjust treatment that Turkish Cypriots face in the island".
President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Mehmet Ali Talat received Ihsanoglu in Lefkosa on Monday. Talat`s meeting with Ihsanoglu was closed to the press.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Talat, Ihsanoglu said that they had a "fruitful" meeting.
"The OIC believes it is its duty to end the embargo that the TRNC faces. The OIC has taken numerous steps in ending the unjust isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots," Ihsanoglu said.
We expect Talat and his Greek Cypriot counterpart to meet at the end of June and re-start negotiations in order to find a solution in Cyprus, Ihsanoglu noted.
"As the OIC, we support the initiatives of the Secretary General of the United Nations on Cyprus. We wish that the island of Cyprus becomes one of peace in which the two regions live under political equality," Ihsanoglu stressed.
-RESPONSE TO GREEK CYPRIOT HOUSE PRESIDENT-
Reminded about comments made by Greek Cypriot House President Marios Karoyan that "OIC Secretary General`s works in the TRNC cause problems", Ihsanoglu stressed that "the OIC does not wish to make the tasks of any one more difficult. On the contrary, we want to make the job of every one easier. What we are trying to do is to end the unjust treatment the Turkish Cypriots face on their own land. We want to see the Turkish Cypriots receive equal treatment as the owners of these lands and as citizens as well as humans. Aside from these, we do not wish to cause any problems for any one. We are ready to explain our good will to those who experience difficulty in understanding our position".
(SOL-AÖ)