LEFKOSA (AA) - U.S. Congress members, who are currently in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for official meetings, met TRNC Parliament Speaker Fatma Ekenoglu on Monday.
Ekenoglu told reporters that Turkish Cypriots want solution and peace and they showed their will to the whole world.
''We support decision which was taken in referendums on April 24th. We expect the world to keep their promises. Turkish Cypriots, as the side which voted 'yes' in referendums, should not be punished. We want to establish and strengthen relations with the world. We cannot live with isolations any more. We want isolations to be lifted rapidly,'' said Ekenoglu.
Ekenoglu congratulated U.S. Congress members who arrived in northern Cyprus from Ercan Airport in spite of the objections of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos.
Ekenoglu said, ''TRNC is an island country. We expect tourism to develop, but we cannot use ports and airports due to isolations. We want isolations to be lifted rapidly. Thus, tourists can arrive in TRNC more comfortably. We support solution on the basis of political equality. As soon as mentality of Papadopoulos changes, we want to share our island with Greek Cypriots and live together with them on the basis of political equality.''
Meanwhile, Ed Whitfield, the co-chairman of the Turkish Friendship Group at the U.S. House of Representatives, who headed U.S. Congress members, said that they visited northern Cyprus for lifting of isolations over Turkish Cypriots.
We also want Papadopoulos to give up his objection against the financial assistance worth of 259 million Euro which will be provided by the EU for northern Cyprus, said Whitfield.
U.S. Congress members will meet TRNC Premier Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Foreign Minister & Deputy Premier Serdar Denktas on Tuesday.
(GC-A֩
2005-05-30