Northern Cyprus gives warm welcome to Azeris
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Aug 4 2005
80 Azerbaijani businessmen and journalists arrived in the
non-recognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) last
Wednesday on a first direct flight from a foreign country to the
Turkish-populated part of the ethnically divided island over the
last 31 years. Citizens of Northern Cyprus welcomed the Azeri
representatives with tears in their eyes,
AzerNEWS correspondent reported from the TRNC capital Lefkosha.
Chairman of the Union of Azerbaijani and Turkish Businessmen Ahmet
Erentok heading the delegation told journalists upon arrival that the
landing of an Azerbaijani airplane at the Ercan Airport of Cyprus is
of great importance.
Economic relations between Azerbaijan and TRNC and investment
opportunities in the country, which faces international isolation, were
discussed during the three-day visit. The two countries’ businessmen
signed two agreements on cooperation in conclusion of a business
forum on Friday, covering trade and banking. The participants also
discussed ways of collaborating in the area of tourism, construction
and agriculture.
‘One nation-three states’ UATB chairman Erentok said that Azerbaijan
and Turkey have been referred to as ‘one nation-two states’ so
far. “But from now on, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Northern Cyprus should
be called ‘one nation-three states’, he said during the businessmen’s
meeting with the national leader, ex-president of Northern Cyprus
Rauf Denktas on Friday.
Denktas called the opening of the Baku-Lefkosha flight as a significant
event for Northern Cyprus, saying that Azerbaijan should be considered
a model for other countries.
“Like the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan, the Northern Cyprus is
still under occupation. The Greek community of Southern Cyprus is
not willing to unite with the Turkish community of Cyprus within a
federation and is trying to keep the entire Cyprus under its control.
But they won’t succeed in this. TRNC exists and will continue to
exist.”
Erentok underlined that UATB will further work to develop relations
between Azerbaijan and Northern Cyprus.
In conclusion of the meeting, Denktas was elected honorary member
of UATB.
Denktas and his son Serdar Denktas, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister, will visit Baku on August 15.
Serdar Denktas told the AzerNEWS correspondent in Lefkosha that the
goal of the three-day visit is to extend gratitude to President Ilham
Aliyev for the recent opening of a direct flight from Azerbaijan to
the TRNC.
Flights ‘will end blockade’ The opening of flights from Azerbaijan
to the Northern Cyprus is the start of extricating the republic from
blockade, TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat told ANS TV channel.
Talat said the flights between the two countries mean the ‘end of
a blockade’. He recalled that only Turkish aircraft have landed at
the Ercan Airport located in the northern part of Cyprus so far,
expressing confidence that the flights from Azerbaijan to his country
will provide suitable conditions for other countries to carry out
flights to Northern Cyprus as well.
Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas, in an interview with local
Trend news agency, regarded Azerbaijan’s decision to open flights
as ‘courageous’. “Some countries wanted to take this step before,
but subsequently backed away from it on fears of pressures from the
international community and Greek Cyprus”, he said.
Diplomatic tensions Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos has
condemned the Azerbaijani businessmen’s visit. “Opening flights to
Northern Cyprus is unacceptable”, Turkish NTV channel quoted him
as saying.
Papadopoulos said he has forwarded a letter expressing his objection
to President Ilham Aliyev. “The leadership of Greek Cyprus has decided
to take active steps to prevent such flights. We have filed a complaint
to the International Civil Aviation Organization”, the document says.
Papadopoulos said he is disappointed with the fact that Azerbaijan
became the first country to forge ties with Northern Cyprus and vowed
to do his utmost to prevent other countries from establishing relations
with TRNC.
Azerbaijan has advised not to seek any political motives behind the
establishment of business ties with TRNC. The visit was organized
not by the government but by private companies, said Foreign Ministry
official Tahir Taghizada. “The opening of a flight to Northern Cyprus
should not be politicized or seen as a change in official Baku’s
foreign policy”, he said.
Informal reports say that Greece has threatened to open a flight to
Upper Garabagh in response to Azerbaijan’s decision to start direct
flights from Baku to Lefkosha.
A presidential administration official has said that Azerbaijan’s
plans to forge ties with TRNC should not perturb anyone. The country
will continue working in this direction. “These steps are aimed at
preventing isolation of Cyprus Turks from the international community”,
said head of the President’s Office international relations department
Novruz Mammadov.
President Ilham Aliyev said in a recent meeting with Turkish Minister
for Defense Vecdi Gonul in Baku that Azerbaijan will take ‘important
steps’ to help Northern Cyprus come out of isolation.
The statement follows the President’s earlier promise to support
Northern Cyprus and ensure investments in the republic.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan said during his visit
to Russia that Baku’s recent steps ‘de facto imply recognition of
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’. “I hope that Azerbaijan’s
policy in this area will continue”, he said.