Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat met in Istanbul on 21 January.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, both leaders stated that cooperation between the two countries towards finding a settlement and furthering the TRNC's development would continue.

Indicating that it was impossible for Turkey to accept that isolations were still being imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, Prime Minister Erdogan said: "Unless this is solved it's impossible to expect anything different from us".

He said Turkey was determined to continue protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and be in close cooperation and solidarity with the TRNC authorities in defending the Cyprus national cause and that despite the negative attitude of the Greek Cypriot side Turkey had defended its settlement perspective. Continuing Prime Minister Erdogan said during the meeting he had discussed all issues with President Talat and once more confirmed that by further strengthening their cooperation they would continue in their efforts to achieve a settlement.

For his part, President Talat said the TRNC would definitely break the isolation and further integrate with the world.

Indicating that "the views of the TRNC and Turkey are totally compatible and this is an important strength and courage", President Talat said the TRNC was pursuing a stable policy in conformity with the world.

He said this policy had secured important advantages in the international arena as well as in the (TRNC's) internal economic structure and had resulted in the TRNC's economy achieving record growth levels.

President Talat said this situation would secure important gains for the TRNC in the future negotiations and that today the TRNC had a state mechanism that implemented its legitimate functions.

The President said by hiding behind international law the TRNC's isolation was being continued but despite this the TRNC's morale was still high. He added that the Greek Cypriot administration's policy not to meet with the TRNC Prime Minister and the "Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community" could not go on for much longer.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, who was recently in Kirghizistan for various contacts with Kirghiz officials yesterday (22 January) returned to the TRNC with the Kirghiz Minister for Sports, B.J Asanov and ministry officials, the Chairman's of the Kirghizistan Football and Basketball Federations, and the Kirghiz national basketball and football teams, who will have a camp training session and matches in the TRNC.

Staying in the TRNC until 28 January the Kirghiz national teams will have two matches with the TRNC national football and basketball teams.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Kirghiz officials, Serdar Denktas stressed that the Kirghiz national teams had come to the TRNC with a humanitarian approach and to have friendly matches with the TRNC teams.

He said during his two-day visit to Bishkek he had various contacts which were very constructive and although the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo engaged in efforts to create obstacles to this visit, with his own initiative the Kirghiz Minister for Sports decided to take the Kirghiz national basketball and football teams to the TRNC for camp training and friendly matches.

Indicating that the federation Chairmen and officials accompanied the Kirghiz Minister for Sports, Serdar Denktas said the Chairman of the Kirghizistan Football Federation Muraliyev Amangeld had also been the Prime Minister of Kirghizistan for a long time.

Underlining that the arrival of the Kirghiz national football and basketball teams, which were also FIFA members, was 'a step that was taken purely for brotherly and humanitarian reasons', Serdar Denktas said their arrival in the TRNC was not for a political reason and the Greek Cypriot side had tried to link this humanitarian step to political reasons.