ANKARA (AA) - The delegation from U.S. Congress which was headed by Ed Whitfield, the co-chairman of the Turkey Caucus at the U.S. House of Representatives, arrived in Ankara on Tuesday.
The delegation had proceeded to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) via TRNC's Ercan Airport from Istanbul on Monday.
Whitfield and Justice & Development Party (AKP) Istanbul parliamentarian Egemen Bagis held a news conference at Ankara's Esenboga Airport.
Bagis said, ''after we completed our meetings in TRNC together with U.S. delegation, we arrived in Ankara for other meetings. U.S. delegation had entered TRNC directly from Ercan Airport which is very important.''
''U.S. delegation had arrived in TRNC with us in Ercan Airport. This visit can also be perceived as the first time that the embargoes which have been imposed on Turkish Cypriots since 1974 were broken,'' noted Bagis.
He said, ''this visit is a very important and symbolic step for lifting unfair embargoes imposed on TRNC people.'' Bagis thanked the delegation and noted, ''U.S. delegation held many meetings in TRNC and saw the dimension of the problem.''
On the other hand, Whitfield said that there are 4 study groups in U.S. Congress about Turkey and added, ''we visited TRNC to make a gesture that would make possible lifting of embargoes on Turkish Cypriots.'' He noted that the embargoes on TRNC are unfair and it is necessary to take some extra steps to lift the embargoes.
U.S. delegation, which entered the TRNC via Ercan Airport yesterday, met TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat, TRNC Parliament Speaker Fatma Ekenoglu and former President Rauf Denktas.
U.S. delegation was accompanied by Bagis and they also held meetings with TRNC Premier Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas before their departure.
(GC-A֩
2005-05-31