LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said on Tuesday that if Turkey get a start date for membership negotiations at the European Union (EU) summit to be held in December, Turkish Cypriot side's stance towards Cyprus issue would weaken, adding that's why isolation of Turkish Cypriots should end before that date.
Talat gave an interview to TRNC News Agency (TAK).
Talat noted that it was urgent to end isolation of Turkish Cypriots, underlining the importance of starting direct (non-stop) flights to TRNC and putting into practice free trade regulations.
Stressing that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos is trying to put forth his demands on Cyprus issue as a precondition for EU's setting a negotiation date for Turkey before the EU summit in December, Talat said: ''it was impossible, since Turkey took very important steps beyond expectations to meet criteria required for EU membership''.
''I believe that there would not be any demand as regards the opening of Maras (Varosha) to settlement, or withdrawing troops from Cyprus, when a date was set for Turkey'', Talat stated.
(EÖ-ULG) 10.08.2004