FOREIGN MINISTER AVCI
CONTINUES HIS CONTACTS IN ROME
AVCI RECEIVED FULL SUPPORT OF ITALIAN RADICAL PARTY
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý, currently in Rome, received
full support of the members of the Radical Party towards the
lifting of the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation.
Foreign Minister Avcý met with Italian
Minister for European Policies and International Trade Emma
Bonino and also with the members of the party at Radical
Party’s head office, where Avcý asked support of Italy and
the EU for the lifting of the international isolation of the
Turkish Cypriot people.
The main topic of the meeting between
Foreign Minister Avcý and Bonino was about the measures
which could be taken by Italy and the EU for contributing to
the lifting of the international isolation of the Turkish
Cypriot people.
Italian Minister Bonino expressed her
support for the lifting of the isolation imposed on the
Turkish Cypriot people as well as for a lasting and
comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.
It’s been also decided that the general
council meeting of the Transnational Radical Party (TRP), of
which Minister Bonino is a member, would be held in the TRNC
at the beginning of 2008.
Within the framework of his contacts,
Avcý also met with TRP Leader Rita Bernardini and its
Honorary Leader Sergio Stanzani, Party’s Member Responsible
for Financial Affairs Elisabetta Zamparutti. During these
meetings Avcý was accompanied by Italian TRP MP Maurizio
Turco and a member of the TRP Marco Perduca, who both
acquired TRNC citizenship.
Foreign Minister Avcý will today present
certificates of TRNC citizenship, IDs and passports to
Maurizio Turco and Marco Perduca in a meeting to be held at
the Italian Parliament.
Meanwhile, according to the statement
issued by the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Avcý during his meeting
with Minister Bonino informed her about the isolation
imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people.
The statement pointed out that Avcý
requesting the EU and Italy to provide support for the
lifting of the isolation, called upon the EU not to be just
an onlooker to the attitude of the Greek Cypriot
administration who was unreservedly using its EU membership
against the TRNC and Turkey.
The statement said Avcý stressed that the
EU should act in a more determined manner towards the
lifting of the isolation.
According to the statement, during his
meetings Avcý stated that although the Turkish Cypriot side
had made several openings and proposals, Greek Cypriot side
continued its intransigent stance and explained the
expectations of Turkish Cypriots from the EU.
