TURKEY: The Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Tayyip Erdogan, said yesterday that Turkey would do everything possible to help solve a long dispute over Cyprus by May 1st, but the Greek Cypriot government said time was running out.
Cyprus peace talks have been at a standstill for the past 10 months, and time is short for negotiations on a complex UN blueprint before Cyprus joins the European Union on May 1st, either united or divided.
"The Cyprus question must be solved by May 1st. We will make the necessary steps in this regard," Mr Erdogan told a meeting of business leaders and politicians in Berlin.
"There must be goodwill on both sides. If that is not the case then the problems will not be able to be solved. We will certainly show our good will," he said.
A resolution of the Cyprus problem is seen as a precondition for Turkey's membership of the EU and would boost its chances of starting accession talks in early 2005.
Mr Erdogan made his comments after President George Bush sent him, Greek and Cypriot leaders a letter urging them to resume talks to unify the Mediterranean island immediately.
"We have a window of opportunity to reach agreement before Cyprus joins the European Union on May 1st, which would be in the strategic interests of both Turkey and the United States," Mr Bush wrote to Mr Erdogan in a letter. Mr Erdogan said he would discuss Cyprus when he meets Mr Bush on January 28th.
While Mr Erdogan's remarks underlined Turkey's commitment to reaching a Cyprus solution, media have reported that the powerful Turkish military fears the government may be giving too much ground in its efforts to reach a settlement.
Senior government officials and military have reaffirmed their commitment to a deal, but deferred further action to a meeting of the all-powerful National Security Council on January 23rd.
In Nicosia the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister, Mr George Iakovou, said that, even if Turkey decided to engage on the basis of the UN plan from January 23rd, it would still leave little time ahead for negotiations.
"We are concerned at the lack of urgency on the part of Turkish authorities," Mr Iakovou, speaking before Mr Erdogan made his comments in Berlin, said.
"This will restrict negotiation time to a couple of months unless this is a tactical move by Turkey to push negotiations to the second half of the year and link it directly to progress on its own EU application," he said.
Brussels has warned that Turkey's own EU hopes will be harmed if it fails to push the Turkish Cypriots into some kind of deal. - (Reuters)