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ANKARA: Putin to Take Concrete Steps to Support Turkish Cyprus

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  • ANKARA: Putin to Take Concrete Steps to Support Turkish Cyprus

    Zaman, Turkey
    July 18 2005

    Putin to Take Concrete Steps to Support Turkish Cyprus
    By Mirza Cetinkaya
    Published: Tuesday July 19, 2005
    zaman.com


    Russian President Vladimir Putin said economic isolation of the
    Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be ended. Putin has
    signaled for concrete steps to be taken in this regard.

    Russian President hosting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
    as an "honorary guest" in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi
    noted, the "meaningless" embargo imposed on TRNC must be lifted and
    his country will have direct contacts with both the Turkish and Greek
    Cypriot societies on the island. The two leaders emphasized their
    opinions overlapped on many issues. "The first thing we must do is to
    solve the problem of economic isolation on one part of the island, to
    create conditions for establishing normal links between the island's
    two parts and, to lay a foundation for exhaustive normalization in
    the interests of all residents of the island," Putin remarked. The
    Russian news agency Interfax quoted Putin as, expressing Russian
    support for Annan's initiative by saying, "We are absolutely
    convinced that the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan
    is moving in the right direction."

    Putin reassured Russia would begin ties with both the Greek and
    Turkish Cyprus. His announcements indicate Russia vetoing Annan's
    report against the Greek Cypriot side in 2004 would concretely change
    its policy regarding Cyprus issue. Yet, what kind of steps Russia
    possessing $40 billions in southern Cyprus thanks to businessmen
    would take is wondered.

    The Turkish Prime Minister also expressed pleasure for the Russian
    support for current Annan policies. The two leaders took a walk
    around Putin's summerhouse after a breakfast meeting. At a news
    conference later, they touched upon the significance of mutual
    relations. Putin reported he had listened to Erdogan's opinions on
    Iraq and Iran as both leaders expressed mutual agreement on several
    international issues. The Russian President underlined that they had
    also discussed Erdogan's point of view on providing security and
    cooperation in the Black Sea.

    On Putin's conviction for the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
    conflict, Erdogan said, "We don't want a world dominated by
    hostility." Putin pointing out they had met with Erdogan four times
    within the last seven months said, their meeting passed in a sincere
    atmosphere.

    The Russian President also emphasized they discussed about not only
    exporting natural gas and oil to Turkey but also putting into
    practice many projects in the energy field to develop bilateral
    economic relations. The two leaders promised support for developing
    relations between Turkey and Russia.
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