LEFKOSA - Turkish prime minister said on Sunday that making Turkish Cypriots pay the price for the uncompromising stance of Greek Cypriots was a serious contradiction and a great injustice.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a ceremony held in Lefkosa on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the "Peace and Freedom Operation" conducted in Cyprus in 1974.
Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan said, "it is not legitimate to impose restrictions on the party that desires peace and compromise".
Commenting on the recent meeting between Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders, Erdogan said the leaders` reaching a consensus on certain matters during such meeting was a positive step.
Erdogan said that in return for the Turkish Cypriot party`s constructive approach, Greek Cypriots should now give up changing the agenda and accept that a solution could be achieved by establishing a new partnership between two equal nations.
"We do not and will not accept the continuation of the isolations imposed on Turkish Cypriots," Erdogan said.
"The international community, and primarily EU, should keep its promises to Turkish Cypriots," he added.
Erdogan also said that it was not right to relate Turkey`s EU membership with the Cyprus issue. "Cyprus issue should not be used against Turkey`s EU accession process," he said.
(DO-BRC)
(DIP)