Turkey urges UN to up Cyprus talks

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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The Turkish side wants a solution to the problem before European Parliamentary elections in June 2009. Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat briefed Turkish politicians on the current course of negotiations to find a solution to the Cyprus deadlock, ahead of a visit by U.N. Secretary-General Ban to Ankara on Friday.

Talat flew to the Turkish capital after concluding a meeting Friday with Greek Cypriot Leader Demetris Christofias about power-sharing in a future federation. The leaders will open the even more complex chapter of property on Jan. 28. In Ankara, Talat met with President Abdullah Gül. Also, the Council of Joint Administration of Turkic Culture and Art, or TÜRKSOY, decorated Talat with a medal of honor. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ senior envoy for Cyprus said on Friday a peace deal was possible on the war-divided island, but cautioned that it was a complex task. "There is a real possibility of reaching a settlement here," said Alexander Downer, a former Australian foreign minister who was appointed as envoy for Cyprus last year. He oversees the reunification talks launched by Christofias and Talat in September 2008. "It is an incredibly difficult task, nobody should underestimate how hard it is after so many years and such a deep conflict, but days like today just help to confirm the view that I am cautiously optimistic," Downer said.