Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcý has left Italy at the end of his contacts in Rome and made a one day visit to London before leaving for New York where he will attend the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference) Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Foreign Minister Avcý who was in Italy in order to present certificates of TRNC citizenship to Italian Transnational Radical Party (TRP) MP Maurizio Turco and a member of the TRP Marco Perduca, met with Massimo Bugli, who is the Chairman of the Consortium made up of 15 municipalities in Rome, banks in the region and various other associations on Tuesday (25 September).

Speaking during the meeting, Bugli stated that they wanted to establish closer relations with Turkish Cypriots. For his part, Foreign Minister Avcý pointed out that Turkish Cypriots desired to have close links with all the communities living in Europe.

Foreign Minister Avcý and his accompanying delegation later got together with Mayor of Albano Laiale (a commune in Rome) and politicians of the region. Speaking during the meeting, Avcý underlined that Turkish Cypriots extended their hand for peace to Greek Cypriots and requested Italian people’s support.

Within the framework of his contacts in Rome, Minister Avcý also met with Italian Deputy-Foreign Minister Famiano Crucianelli, where he conveyed information about the latest developments on the Cyprus issue, the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigent stance which was dragging the Cyprus problem into a deadlock.

Foreign Minister Avcý following the completion of his contacts in Rome went to London for a one day visit before leaving for the USA.

Foreign Minister Avcý speaking during a press conference held in London stated that the Turkish Cypriot side expected a more active attitude from the UK as one of the guarantor countries and for this reason they would intensify the relations with the UK.

Explaining that during his visit he would follow the studies for opening of a TRNC representative office in North London and engage in initiatives to start lobbying activities for establishing more intensive contacts with the UK, Foreign Minister Avcý pointed to the fact that recently the TRNC’s relations with Syria and Italy had become important.

Stating that TRNC had established very close relations with Syria in the last 4-5 months and he had visited Syria two times in this period, Avcý reminded that relations had developed between the two countries’ businessmen, universities and chambers of commerce. Avcý said within this framework, ferry services started between Famagusta and Lazkiye. Pointing out that both Syrian and other foreign officials who visited the TRNC, while expecting to see a country under very bad conditions, was surprised to see a very modern developing country, Avcý said after the start of ferry services, Greek Cypriot administration gave a diplomatic note to Syria, as expected.

Reminding that a Syrian swimmer who broke a record by swimming from Karpaz to Lazkiye was also included in the diplomatic note by the Greek Cypriot administration, Avcý said the Greek Cypriot side could not tolerate any kind of relations established by the TRNC with other countries.

Saying that they expected Syria to be strong against the Greek Cypriot side’s attitude, Avcý said Greek Cypriots were preparing to give a diplomatic note to Italy as well, because two Italian Radical Party (TRP) members acquired TRNC citizenship.

Foreign Minister Avcý stated that two Italian TRP members by acquiring TRNC citizenship, tried to explain that unjust treatments against the TRNC was unacceptable and wanted to make Turkish Cypriots’ voice heard in the EU.

Avcý said the obligation to reach unanimity on the decisions within the EU was creating problems and the unilateral membership of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU was a big mistake, which was also accepted by EU officials nowadays.

Avcý noted that during his contacts in Italy he explained all the basic problems that needed to be solved, in particular the Direct Trade Regulation.

Pointing out that they had started a proactive stance in foreign politics, Avcý said they could not expect foreign people to come to North Cyprus and deal with Turkish Cypriots’ problems unless they went to foreign countries and explain their problems.

Responding to a question, Foreign Minister Avcý said they expected Syria not to retreat on the issue of ferry services between the TRNC and Syria. In response to another question, Avcý said two Italian TRP members would not have any problem with regard to the military service in the TRNC because they had already done their national service in their country.