TURKISH CYPRIOT EX-LEADER WANTS TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH AZERBAIJAN
ANS TV, Baku
30 Aug 05
The former president of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus, Rauf Denktas, has welcomed cooperation between Northern Cyprus
and Azerbaijan. He said that the purpose of his visit to Azerbaijan
is to strengthen friendly ties between Azerbaijan and Northern Cyprus.
In an interview with the “Point of View” programme broadcast jointly
by the Azerbaijani private TV station ANS and the Turkish Cypriot
channel Genc TV, Denktas thanked Azerbaijan for supporting Northern
Cyprus and called for the embargo on the breakaway region to be lifted.
He welcomed cooperation with Azerbaijani businessmen and said they
are more interested in developing tourism. At the same time, Denktas
touched on his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, but
refused to disclose details of the talks. He also said that Greeks
are not happy about cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus and spoke out against linking the problem
with the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.