Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas who attended
the “16th Kyrnica Economic Forum” in Poland, completed his
contacts and returned to the TRNC yesterday (10 September).
Within the framework of his
contacts, Serdar Denktas met with Latvia Parliament
Speaker Steponavicius and explained the latest situation
of the Cyprus issue and asked for Latvia’s support.
Drawing attention to the fact
that the TRNC was represented under observer status with
two ministers in the European Council, Serdar Denktas said
they would expect the support of Latvia for upgrading this
status and exchanged views with Steponavicius on the issue
of Turkish Cypriots’ representation in the European
Parliament.
Serdar Denktas pointed out
that there was no progress on the Cyprus issue and there
was a deadlock as a result of Greek Cypriot administration
leader Papadopoulos’ stance and said the reason for not
being able to set up technical committees was also
Papadopoulos’ stance.
Stressing that the unjust
embargoes imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots should be
lifted, Serdar Denktas reminded the promises given by the
EU on this issue and discussed how Latvia could help on
this issue with Steponavicius.
Serdar Denktas stated that
they also taken up the issue of the visit by Turkey
Friendship Group in the Latvia Parliament to the TRNC in
the near future and that Steponavicius said he would start
the necessary initiative on this issue as soon as he
returned to Latvia.
In the Forum the Cyprus issue
was taken up under the title; “The Way Towards a Single
Standard: European Union, Turkey and Cyprus”
The main topic of
this year’s Economic Forum was “Europe’s Identity Problem”
and other topics such as the EU’s internal problems and
its relations with neighbor countries, energy, health,
macro-economics, industry, development, security,
petroleum resources, education, culture were also taken up.
The Kyrinica
Economic Forum is the second biggest economic forum in the
world after Davos, and every year attended by head of
states, prime ministers or ministers, economists,
academicians and media representatives from approximately
160 countries.
