Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas went to Ankara yesterday in order to have contacts with the Turkish officials.

Within the framework of his program in Ankara, Serdar Denktas visited Abdullah Gül Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Abdullatif Sener Turkish State Minister Responsible for Cyprus and Melih Gökçek Mayor of Ankara.

After his meeting with Abdullah Gül, Denktas said “while the Turkish side was taking positive steps, the Greek Cypriots were showing that they don’t want to live with Turkish Cypriots in every single option they found”.

Denktas pointed out that he believed in spite of all the efforts of Turkish side, the Greek Cypriots would not conciliate and this would naturally result in a “modern divorce”.

For his part Abdullah Gül stated that continuation of Turkey’s positive and concrete steps, would show international community that the intransigent side was the Greek Cypriots.

During the meeting between Gül and Denktas it was also agreed that the studies on technical committees should continue.

Serdar Denktas in his meeting with Abdüllatif Sener discussed the economic relations between the two countries and evaluated the actions to be taken in future. Stressing that while the TRNC economy strengthens, the Cyprus issue would enter into a different perspective, Denktas said their responsibility as a government was to strengthen the state economy and put it into a stable position. Serdar Denktas said they were aware of this and behave accordingly.

Abdüllatif Sener stating that their support to Turkish Cypriots in economic sector as well as in all other areas will continue, drew attention to two main sectors, tourism and universities, as a catalysis for the development of the economy.

Sener pointing importance to the development of tourism, which he indicated as a strategic sector, in TRNC said: “In our studies as two states, we are preparing the strategic tourism sector of TRNC for future.”

Sener added that the fact that the close cooperation, solidarity and confidence between Turkey and the TRNC were developing each day, gave hope for the future of Turkish Cypriot people.

Pointing out that the economic growth in the TRNC within the last three years was 12.5%, Sener said TRNC was the biggest growing state in the world now. He added that Turkish Cypriot people, compared to many people living in different parts of world, much more imbibed the democracy and there existed a state with its democratic institutions.

Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas also visited Bülent Ecevit, the former Prime Minister of Turkey who is currently under medical treatment in Gülhane Military Medicine Academy (GATA).