Cyprus talks first in 2 years
Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot leaders suggested yesterday that they were willing to meet again after holding their first face-to-face talks in more than two years. Diplomats hoped the meeting between Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat would ease a dispute threatening Turkey’s European Union entry talks. Yesterday’s discussions focused on the fate of about 2,000 Greek and Turkish Cypriots missing since the 1960s and 1970s. The two men emerged from talks saying they had also exchanged views on reunification. «We exchanged views on the Cyprus problem also,» Talat said. «It was a very good and sincere discussion.» Papadopoulos also indicated he was ready to revisit the divided country’s issues with Talat. «There is no dogmatic or other reason for not seeing Mr Talat as long as there is a program of what the meeting will come to,» said Papadopoulos.
