Cyprus leaders differ on timing of face-to-face reunification talks

Nicosia: The rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders still differ on when they should begin face-to-face negotiations on reunifying the divided island, the two said yesterday.

President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat met in the island's UN-controlled buffer zone to review preparations for starting direct talks on reunification. There had been hopes that talks could start by the end of June.

But after the meeting, Talat said that "we have different views on this and we continue to have those views." The two leaders issued a joint statement saying they will meet again in the second half of June to review further progress.

Neither elaborated on what their differences on timing were. However, Talat said recently that his side wanted face-to-face talks by the end of next month, while the Greek Cypriot government has said it wants more preparations.

While yesterday's meeting did not settle on when direct negotiations will begin, it did manage to allay some Greek Cypriot concerns. The government had been worried that the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey could be aiming for a two-state settlement that would formally split the island instead of the long-standing agreement for a loose bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.