WASHINGTON, April 26: The United States will reward Turkish Cypriots for voting in favor of a UN plan to reunify the divided island that was defeated by Greek Cypriot rejection of the proposal in weekend referenda , US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Monday.

He reiterated US disappointment at the Greek Cypriot vote and said Washington would coordinate assistance to the economically isolated Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with the European Union which earlier Monday pledged a multi-million euro aid package for the Turkish Cypriot community.

"Obviously, we were very disappointed" at the result, Powell told reporters after meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller at the State Department. "We believe that an important opportunity, a historic opportunity, was lost."

He said the United States would be "reviewing our position and ... reviewing the actions of the European Union to make sure that we are operating in a way that is consistent with our European colleagues."

Powell declined to elaborate on the nature of the assistance but a senior State Department official said it would stop short of diplomatic recognition for the TRNC and would not likely include an end to existing economic and trade sanctions. -AFP