Turkish Cypriot leader urges for a deal before presidential elections

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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Talat said he remains optimistic about the talks, but that both leaders "have to work hard."

He also criticized Greek Cypriots for not accepting a timetable to the open-ended talks, in his remarks to AP on Wednesday after meeting Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb in Helsinki.

Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves.

Re-launched in September 2008 after a four-year hiatus, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and his Greek Cypriot counterpart, Demetris Christofias, have been involved in U.N.-sponsored unification talks aimed at reaching an agreement to end the island's decades-long division. But little progress has been made so far.

The talks mark the first major push for peace since the failure of a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.

The U.N. Security Council strongly urged last month Christofias and Talat "to increase the momentum in the negotiations to ensure the full exploitation of this opportunity to reach a comprehensive settlement."

Talat said he shared similar views with Stubb about finding a comprehensive settlement and making a united Cyprus a full member of the European Union, or EU, in the possible shortest time. 

"This is our final target, and I hope we will reach a final result in the ongoing (Cyprus) negotiations," he was quoted by the Anatolian Agency as telling reporters.

"Finland may be helpful in the settlement of Cyprus problem, thanks to its objectivity in international matters," Talat said.

Stubb said Finland extended strong support to the ongoing Cyprus negotiations, and settlement of the Cyprus problem by the end of 2009, Anatolian Agency reported.

He said Finland was one of the strongest supporters of a united Cyprus that his country also wanted to be a member of the EU.

The Finnish foreign minister said his country wanted a settlement before the end of the year, and backed a referendum before Turkish Cypriots to hold presidential elections in April 2010.