Talks To Start In June, Northern Cyprus President

GIRNE - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat said on Saturday that comprehensive talks on Cyprus would start at the end of June.
Delivering a speech at the opening of the second "Northern Cyprus Summit of European Parliamentarians of Turkish Origin" held in Girne, TRNC President Talat said a positive atmosphere has been prevailing on Cyprus now, and noted that they were endeavoring to help this atmosphere lead to a solution.
Talat referred to his meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias on March 21st, 2008 and said, "we talked ways to start the process, and decided to initiate comprehensive talks after establishment of technical committee and working groups within 3 months.
Talat said working groups would submit reports to the leaders about the topics on which consensus could and could not be reached, adding "the solution will not be easy. Both parties have indispensable wishes. We will be in an effort to eliminate them and believe that international community should assist on the matter."
"We have no other alternative but to create a mechanism to overcome the deadlocks," he added.

(AY)