EU told to step up Cyprus reunification efforts

Cyprus faces "permanent partition" unless the conflict between the Greek and Turkish communities is resolved soon, Mehmet Ali Talat has warned.
 
Talat, leader of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, told theparliament.com that the EU had to step up its efforts to find a resolution to the long-running dispute.
 
He said; "Cyprus is a member of the EU so the union could be doing more to encourage the Greek Cypriot community to find a solution."
 
He said the EU should also act to "end the economic isolation" of the northern part of the island by easing trade and transporation restrictions.
 
He said Turkish Cypriots are, currently, unable to export local goods to any EU country and all international flights to the northern part of Cyprus have to go though Turkey, the only country which recognises northern Cyprus.
 
Talat will resume talks with his Greek Cypriot counterpart, Demetris Christofias, leader of the Communist Party Akel, later this month and says these negotiations are "crucial" if a solution is to be found.
 
"We are on the verge of permanent partition but I remain relatively optimistic that we can find a resolution."
 
If successful, he hopes that the northern part of the island will be allowed to join the EU "sometime next year."
 
The division, he accepts, is deepening and opinion polls indicate that the majority of Turkish Cypriots are in favour of the two-state solution - permanent partition:
 
However, Talat says the good relations he enjoys with Christofias gives him added hope that a breakthrough on thorny issues such as property repatriation, security and power sharing can be found.
 
"I feel he is a man I can do business with and there is no reason to be pessimistic," said Talat, who was speaking at his office in Nicosia near the "green line" dividing the capital.
 
The island has been divided since 1974. The Turkish-controlled north cover 33 per cent of Cyprus and contains about 250,000 inhabitants compared with the south where the population is 600,000.

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