Istanbul Gazette News

TRNC Prime Minister Visits Turkey

(Şişli Mayor, Mustafa Sarıgül, TRNC Prime Minister, İrsen Küçük)

Friday, July 16, 2010
By: Jason D. Jones

ISTANBUL- İrsen Küçük, Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC), made his first official visit to Turkey this week since being elected in May. After meeting with Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdoğan, in Ankara on Thursday, Küçük, on Friday, traveled to Istanbul to meet with Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Şişli District Mayor, Mustafa Sarıgül.

In a welcoming ceremony at the Şişli Municipality, Mayor Sarıgül stressed the importance of TRNC to Turkey. “This year we are celebrating 36th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation. But the military success that occurred 36 years ago must be crowned with a civilian success.  Turkey and Cyprus Turks are working hard for this. I believe soon we will be celebrating a peace event in which the world appreciates Cyprus.”, Sarıgül said.

Küçük, in his remarks, mentioned that on his first official visit to Turkey as PM, he felt compelled to visit the Şişli Municipality. “In this trip I did not want to return without congratulating Şişli Municipality which has been an example for local governing.”

Küçük also stated that TRNC’s future will not be without Turkey. “We want to get a successful result from our deliberations with [Greek] Cyprus. We are giving self sacrifice for this purpose but [Greek] Cyprus should also give the same self sacrifice.  As you know couple of days ago they stopped the concert of a foreigner artist. An intolerant understanding in this issue makes it hard to deliberate with TRNC.”

The Mediterranean island has been involved in a dispute since 1974, when Turkish forces invaded following a Greek military junta.