Letters on Cyprus Issue 

The full text of President Denktas’ letter to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on July 11, 2003, is as follows:

“Your Excellency,

As you are well aware, following the refusal of the Greek Cypriot side of our confidence building measures package of 2 April 2003, the Turkish Cypriot side implemented a unilateral confidence building measure involving the facilitation of free movement of peoples between the two sides. Although the Greek Cypriot side was reluctant to reciprocate to this major step, both the Turkish Cypriot people and the Greek Cypriot people have reacted positively.

            In view of the encouraging results of our first initiative, we would like to seek Your Excellency’s support for initiating another major undertaking. Secretary-General Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali had also assessed in the early 1990s that the deep crisis of confidence between the two sides had to be addressed through the creation of a new climate of confidence, thus facilitating a comprehensive settlement. Based on this assessment, he had proposed a confidence building measures package. Negotiations on this package continued in 1993 and 1994 but the package could not be concluded.

            I firmly believe, however, that if we could, for example, open Nicosia International Airport again to serve both sides on the basis of the final UN confidence building measures proposals of 1993-1994, this would greatly enhance the confidence building efforts that we have initiated and would, in turn, substantially contribute to efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement.

            In my consultations with the Turkish Government regarding this package, it has been confirmed to me that if this new confidence building package is implemented Turkish Authorities could be able to contribute to this positive move by opening Turkish sea and air ports, as well as Turkish air space, to Greek Cypriot ships and aeroplanes. In this context, they have also expressed their wish to develop reciprocal trade relations.

            Of course, this package cannot be implemented unilaterally and would require the cooperation and agreement of the Greek Cypriot side and of the UN. I would appreciate it, therefore, if Your Excellency would use your good offices in moving this proposal forward with the objective of securing an early and positive result. I believe this is important in order to maintain the positive climate that has come about as a result of our first initiative.

            In any case, it is high time that the restrictions and embargo weighing so heavily on the Turkish Cypriot people, especially as regards overseas travel, tourism, trade and exports/imports, are lifted.