According to illegal Bayrak (online, 22.05.14), the head of the “TRNC religious affairs department” Talip Atalay said that the US Vice President Joe Biden’s meeting with religious leaders in Cyprus had been very useful.
Evaluating the meeting to the “BRT”, Mr. Atalay said that he had found the opportunity to convey to Biden the problems being experienced in the field of religion. “We had problems obtaining permission to cross over to the Hala Sultan Mosque in South Cyprus and we purposely put forward the need for religious leaders to use religious unity and abstain from politics” Atalay claimed.
He also said that during the meeting he had stressed the need to work together in order to create hope and therefore remove the psychological barriers between the communities.
Atalay added that Biden too supports this view and said that the United States attaches great importance to hope and fully supports developments in this area. “The common understanding at the meeting was to be positive on the current issues, put forward the real problems, fully support to the peace process on the island and do whatever is necessary for Cyprus to become an island of peace” said Atalay.
