Businessmen urge a swift settlement

Agence France-Presse

The call came from the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises, Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation, and the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen's Association at their first meeting, in Northern Cyprus.

"We ... call upon the two communities in Cyprus to continue negotiating in good faith to achieve a comprehensive and enduring settlement of the Cyprus problem," said their declaration read at a press conference.

The group said "any opportunity to solve the issue is not to be missed" and encouraged the negotiating leaders to intensify their efforts to reach an agreement.

The business leaders hoped that the U.N.-sponsored peace negotiations on Cyprus, coupled with Turkey's accession talks with the European Union, would "help to reach an acceptable solution ... this year."

Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat have been negotiating since last September to reunify the Mediterranean island, but they have so far failed to make tangible progress.

Last week, the two leaders put property negotiations on hold after failing to overcome "serious differences."