Denktas Offers to Swap Maras For Lefkosa Airport

Supporting the offer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that if Nicosia Airport is opened, Turkey’s ports and airports will be opened to Greek Cypriots. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul announced full support for the offer.

Making efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, the TRNC aims to accelerate actions which will solve the confidence crisis between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, and alleviate the negative effects of the embargo on Turkish Cypriots.

During a press briefing yesterday, TRNC President Denktas said that in his letter to Anan, he demanded that trust-building measures be returned to the Cyprus agenda. Such measures were agreed to by both parties in 1993 and 1994, but disagreement over details prevented their implementation. The TRNC President said:

“This means opening Nicosia Airport to both parties and, in return, opening some part of the restricted Maras Region to both parties, with everything done under U.N. supervision."

Greek Cypriot Leader Tasos Papadopulos called a National Council meeting for Monday to discuss Denktas’ proposals. Papadopulous evaluated the proposal as, ‘part of the tactics for the continued existence of the TRNC and the establishment of good neighborly relations’. Charging that Denktas refused the trust-building package in 1993-1994 and the Annan Plan at The Hague, Papadopulos said the Greek Cypriots are ready for discussion on the basis of the Annan Plan.