Ecevit is hard on Cyprus issue

News Desk

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit gave harsh messages on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), right before mutual negotiations expected o start between Turkey and Greece and US Secretary of Defence William Cohen's visit to Ankara. In a program broadcasted on TRT1 over night Mr. Ecevit said:
"The world shall admit the fact that, there has been an independent Turkish state in Northern Cyprus, for 25 years."
"There is no longer a Cyprus problem exists from our point of view, because there used to be an ongoing war in Cyprus before Peace Operation of 1974. Now there is a continuous peace on the island. Cyprus used to be a poor island, now the Greek Cypriots are very rich," he added.
Ecevit said, "Despite the cruel embargoes and despite none of the countries except for Turkey has recognised it, the Turkish Cypriot economy has improved as well. Today the national income per capita in Turkish Cyprus is higher than Turkey."