JEDDAH - ``Improvement of bilateral relations with the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) can be easier from now on,`` Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas said on Monday.
Denktas said this was the first official visit to OIC in foreign ministerial level, and stated that improvement of bilateral relations would be easier from now on.
Denktas said he recalled the decisions made during OIC meeting held in Istanbul and requested assistance from the OIC Secretary General to set up bilateral relations.
Serdar Denktas said he visited Gulf Cooperation Council based in Riyadh and Islamic Development Bank after his visit to OIC.
Pointing out that an expert delegation from the Islamic Development Bank would visit TRNC in the coming period and carry out studies for the current projects, Denktas said they wanted to set up a high technology region, and noted that TRNC could get technical and loan support from the bank for this.
Denktas said the OIC member countries this time seemed more willing to back the decisions made in Istanbul.
-TAIWAN MODEL-
When recalled that discussions pertaining to ``Taiwan Model`` for Cyprus took place in Turkish media, Denktas said this model could be acceptable for the TRNC in case a solution could not be found.
Denktas said the primary goal in Cyprus was to form a common formation with the Greek Cypriots, ``however,`` he noted Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos did not want to accept the Turkish Cypriots as the interlocutor.
``It is impossible to find a solution as long as Papadopoulos stands at this point and as long as international community fails to force him for a resolution,`` Denktas noted.
``UN Secretary General says he would not start a new initiative if the two parties do not have the intention. This is in a sense a decision to continue the blockade against Turkish Cypriots. We can not wait forever for Papadopoulos until he wishes. Turkish Cypriots can not be sentenced to live under uncertainty,`` Denktas emphasized.
``Taiwan model at this point comes as an economic and political model. Nobody should expect us to sit and curse our fate. Of course a solution will be found and Taiwan model is one of those ways of solution,`` he said.