CYPRUS: The Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, plans to form a new government comprising supporters of Cyprus reunification.
Mr Talat said yesterday the move was aimed at taking full advantage of a report by the UN secretary general, Mr Kofi Annan, published on Wednesday, which praised the Turkish Cypriots' support for reunification in an April 24th referendum.
That vote failed due to opposition from the majority Greek Cypriots.
Recent resignations had deprived Mr Talat's coalition government of its parliamentary majority.
"We are trying to form a new government which will be a coalition of parties backing the Annan peace plan," Mr Talat said.
"We have to work fast in order to take advantage of the positive messages in (Wednesday's) the Annan report. Therefore, we need a parliamentary majority to be able to move forward."
He said his Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the small pro-reunification Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) of Mr Mustafa Akinci would form the backbone of the new coalition.
His plan appeared to be aimed at squeezing out his current coalition partner, Mr Serdar Denktash, son of veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Rauf Denktash.
Mr Talat made no mention of resuming peace negotiations with the Greek Cypriots. On Wednesday, Mr Annan urged the world to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots as a reward for their Yes vote in the referendum.
The EU, which the internationally-recognised Greek Cypriot government joined on May 1st, has also begun lifting economic sanctions against the Turkish Cypriots, whose statelet is recognised only by Turkey.
In his report, Mr Annan accused Greek Cypriot President Mr Tassos Papadopoulos of distorting the peace plan to ensure its defeat, a charge rejected by Mr Papadopoulos.