TURKISH CYPRIOT NGO’S SENT A LETTER TO KOFI ANNAN

Ten non-governmental organizations led by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce have sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan regarding the attempts aimed at shifting the Cyprus issue from the UN platform into the EU framework.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Excellency,

As the Turkish Cypriot Civil Society we would like to convey our thanks personally to you and to your organization for the attention and intensive efforts you have spent for the Cyprus Problem during your service as the United Nations Secretary-General.

The results of the Referendum votes for the Comprehensive Cyprus Settlement Plan, well known with your name, led to a disappointment all over the world. Unfortunately, while the Greek Cypriots who voted “No” and left all your efforts in vain have been rewarded with a membership by the European Union, the Turkish Cypriot part who voted “Yes” have been continuously suppressed unfairly under political, economical and social isolations.

As you mention in your Report, which could not be presented to the approval of the Security Council due to political reasons, no significant reason have remained for sustaining the isolations on the Turkish Cypriot Community. In this respect, we request you to make a new call for lifting the unfair isolations while at the same time initiating immediately the peace negotiations.

Nonetheless, as the Turkish Cypriot Civil Society we declare that we maintain our desire for a solution on the principal parameters of your proposal for a bi-communal, bi-zonal, united and federal Cyprus based on political equality and involving the effective and actual guarantee of the Turkish Republic, and that we are still ready to shake hands with our Greek Cypriot friends.

At the same time, we would like to emphasize that the problem should be absolutely solved under the UN umbrella and that the European Union, having the Greek Cypriot part as a member, even if it desires it cannot be a neutral judge for the solution. We are unhappy to see that recently some parties insistently tend to disregard your Plan. We do not accept the new plans, which do not include the UN and suggest partial solutions, and as the Turkish Cypriot Community we believe that no effort can replace a comprehensive and integral settlement.

We would like to inform the new Secretary-General that the time element works against the peace and we want to express our wish that you restart the negotiation process for the comprehensive settlement based on your original Plan.

Please accept again our sincere thanks for all your efforts for the world peace and prosperity, and our wishes for happiness and success in your future life and new missions.

On behalf of the Turkish Cypriot Business Civil Society,

The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce

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