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LETTER DATED 31 MAY 2005
FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF
TURKEY TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL
General Assembly
Fifty-ninth session
Agenda item 29
Question of Cyprus
1 June 2005
Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
continue to support efforts to find a comprehensive
settlement to the Cyprus issue within the framework
of your good-offices mission and on the basis of the
plan which is being referred to as the Annan plan.
The Turkish side has clearly demonstrated its
resolve in this regard, and will continue to do so.
With that understanding, Turkey and the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus will hold consultations
with the United Nations delegation that will visit
the region this week.
The rejection of the plan by the Greek Cypriot side
in the referendum held in Cyprus on 24 April 2004
and the following accession of the Greek Cypriots to
the European Union created an entirely new situation
on the island. However, the Turkish Cypriots, though
having fulfilled their responsibilities on the way
to a solution by voting overwhelmingly in favour of
the plan, continue to face difficulties arising from
ongoing political, economic, cultural and social
isolation.
Although, following the referendum, the European
Union as well as certain international organizations
and a number of countries on a bilateral basis made
some efforts for the lifting of the unjust
restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriots,
unfortunately nothing substantial came out of those
initiatives. Turkish Cypriots continue to live under
difficult conditions, which they have been facing
for the last 40 years.
In order to put an end to this inhumane situation
and bring about normalcy in the day-to-day dealings
between the two sides of the island, Turkey calls
upon all relevant parties to simultaneously lift all
restrictions. It will be recalled that the Turkish
side already took constructive steps towards that
end in the past. The unilateral decision of the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to open border
crossings on the island on 23 April 2003 and the
decision of the Government of Turkey to facilitate
the travel of Greek Cypriots to Turkey are only two
examples in that regard.
In this context, on 30 May
2005, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gül publicly made the
following proposals, to be adopted and implemented
as a whole, which represent another concrete
initiative for paving the way to reaching a just,
durable and comprehensive solution:
(a)
Free movement of people, goods and services to and
from the Turkish Cypriot side, as well as between
the North and the South;
(b)
Lifting of total restrictions applied to all sea and
airports, including direct flights;
(c)
Elimination of restrictions regarding third-country
nationals;
(d)
Special arrangements for the direct inclusion of
North Cyprus as an economic entity in the European
Union customs union and for enjoyment of its full
benefits by all Turkish Cypriots;
(e)
Removal of all obstacles that prevent the Turkish
Cypriot side from participating in international
sports, culture and other activities.
The preceding proposals conform with the repeated
calls of the international community, particularly
by the United Nations, the European Union, the
Council of Europe and the Organization of the
Islamic Conference, made after the referendum, with
a view to integrating the Turkish Cypriots with the
world.
I would be grateful if the text of this letter could
be circulated as a document of the General Assembly,
under agenda item 29, and of the Security Council.
(Signed) Baki İlkin
Ambassador
Permanent Representative
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Letters on Cyprus Issue 