Ten
non-governmental organizations led by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of
Commerce have sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi
Annan regarding the attempts aimed at shifting the Cyprus issue from the
UN platform into the EU framework.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
Dear
Excellency,
As the
Turkish Cypriot Civil Society we would like to convey our thanks
personally to you and to your organization for the attention and intensive
efforts you have spent for the Cyprus Problem during your service as the
United Nations Secretary-General.
The
results of the Referendum votes for the Comprehensive Cyprus Settlement
Plan, well known with your name, led to a disappointment all over the
world. Unfortunately, while the Greek Cypriots who voted “No” and left all
your efforts in vain have been rewarded with a membership by the European
Union, the Turkish Cypriot part who voted “Yes” have been continuously
suppressed unfairly under political, economical and social isolations.
As you
mention in your Report, which could not be presented to the approval of
the Security Council due to political reasons, no significant reason have
remained for sustaining the isolations on the Turkish Cypriot Community.
In this respect, we request you to make a new call for lifting the unfair
isolations while at the same time initiating immediately the peace
negotiations.
Nonetheless, as the Turkish Cypriot Civil Society we declare that we
maintain our desire for a solution on the principal parameters of your
proposal for a bi-communal, bi-zonal, united and federal Cyprus based on
political equality and involving the effective and actual guarantee of the
Turkish Republic, and that we are still ready to shake hands with our
Greek Cypriot friends.
At the
same time, we would like to emphasize that the problem should be
absolutely solved under the UN umbrella and that the European Union,
having the Greek Cypriot part as a member, even if it desires it cannot be
a neutral judge for the solution. We are unhappy to see that recently some
parties insistently tend to disregard your Plan. We do not accept the new
plans, which do not include the UN and suggest partial solutions, and as
the Turkish Cypriot Community we believe that no effort can replace a
comprehensive and integral settlement.
We would
like to inform the new Secretary-General that the time element works
against the peace and we want to express our wish that you restart the
negotiation process for the comprehensive settlement based on your
original Plan.
Please
accept again our sincere thanks for all your efforts for the world peace
and prosperity, and our wishes for happiness and success in your future
life and new missions.
On behalf
of the Turkish Cypriot Business Civil Society,
The
Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce
