Turkey to provide 1.09 bln TL to TRNC in 2012, says Deputy PM Atalay

LEFKOSA (A.A) - January 18, 2012 - Turkish Deputy Premier Besir Atalay on Wednesday said that Turkey would provide 1.09 billion Turkish liras (approx. 592 million USD) to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in 2012. Speaking at a meeting related to promoting the competitiveness of the TRNC in Lefkosa, Atalay said that the Turkish government had provided 838 million TL (approx. 455.2 million USD) to the TRNC in 2011. Touching on Cyprus talks, Atalay said that the upcoming trilateral meeting of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the two Cypriot leaders in New York between January 22 and 24 would bring a positive result as a high level meeting. Also speaking at the meeting, TRNC Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk said that they were working to create a stronger TRNC in cooperation with Turkey.