E.U. Countries Continue To Discuss Representation Of Northern Cyprus

ANKARA - Delegates are trying to solve a problem stemming from the dispute pertaining the name under which the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be represented at the second joint forum of the European Union (EU) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), sources said.
The EU-OIC joint forum will be held in Istanbul on October 4 and 5.
Decisions made in the 31st foreign ministers' meeting of the OIC held in Istanbul in June were conveyed to EU countries. EU countries were also told that the expression of ''Turkish Cypriot State'' that was mentioned in the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan on Cyprus should not cause any problem.
Diplomatic sources stated that Ankara has already made its mind up on this matter, noting that those are EU countries that asked that the second joint forum (of EU and OIC) be held.
If the problem on representation of TRNC could not be solved before Oct. 4th, the number of participants from the EU countries might remain at a lower level, it was learned.
(EÖ-ULG) 28.09.2004