The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and his accompanying delegation came to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on Saturday (17 February).

President Mehmet Ali Talat received Ihsanoglu and during their meeting stated that the OIC was “the most important organization that supported the just cause of the Turkish Cypriots”.

President Talat said: “the OIC gives a big support and encourages the Turkish Cypriot people to look at the future with hope.”

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriots would continue to struggle for the lifting of the existing isolation and for integrating with the world, President Talat said: “We want peace and the unification of the island and have been spending intensive efforts to achieve this.”

Reminding that the Turkish Cypriot people have proven this at the April 2004 referendum, Talat said: “The referendum was probably the most direct example of democracy...We supported the solution of the Cyprus problem by using our self-determination right. We wanted Cyprus to enter the EU under the title of United Cyprus.” Talat stated that the reason for not achieving the goal of United Cyprus was the intransigent stance of Greek Cypriot side, which by using its EU membership refrained from any kind of power sharing with Turkish Cypriots.

Stressing that while struggling for the lifting of the isolation, the Turkish Cypriot side have not give up its existing policies towards the solution of the Cyprus problem, Talat said: “We cannot accept to remain isolated while waiting for the solution of the Cyprus problem. Because, this is a grave injustice.”

IHSANOGLU: “OIC WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS”

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu stated that the OIC would always give support for the preservation of the equal, political and historical rights and to ensure that the Turkish Cypriot people take its rightful place amongst the humanity.

Ihsanoglu pointing out that the OIC’s aim was to contribute to the lifting of the isolation and achieving a settlement in Cyprus, which would be acknowledged by the international community and in which the Turkish Cypriots would obtain all its rights stemming from international treaties.

Referring to the recent decision taken for the lifting of the isolation at OIC’s Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Ihsanoglu said in addition to decisions taken during OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting in this direction, they also decided to start direct flights to the TRNC in Kuala Lumpur.

Indicating that the international community has spent great efforts for solving the conflicts with regard to communities having fewer rights than Turkish Cypriots, Ihsanoglu said the fact that the Cyprus issue could not be solved was meaningless.

Within the framework of his contacts, Ihsanoglu also visited Speaker of TRNC Parliament Fatma Ekenoglu and Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer.