NICOSIA - Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos has ruled out an informal meeting with his dovish new Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat, insisting talks on reunifying the island must be under UN auspices.
"I don't think anybody believes that the Cyprus problem can be solved with social contacts, or a meeting over coffee, or some other way," the Cyprus president told reporters on returning from a trip to Prague late Wednesday.
"Any meeting with Talat must always be under the auspices of the UN.
"It doesn't need a lot of political wisdom to realise we are not seeking talks for talks' sake," he said.
However Papadopoulos has already rejected the United Nations' terms for renewing its efforts to broker a solution, declining to set out the objections that prompted him to reject a UN reunification plan last year.
The president's successful call for a no vote by Greek Cypriots in a referendum meant Cyprus joined the European Union on May 1 still a divided island.
Talat, who was elected Turkish Cypriot leader Sunday after veteran hardliner Rauf Denktash stepped down, swiftly offered to meet Papadopoulos in a bid to kickstart talks.
"If I receive a positive response from the Greek Cypriot administration, I am ready to meet Tassos Papadopoulous," he said.
Greek Cypriot officials have given a cautious welcome to Talat's election, describing it as an "encouraging step".
But the Cyprus president has repeatedly rejected key elements of the Annan reunification blueprint, particularly its finessing of the question of recognition of the breakaway Turkish Cyriot state.
He has also said he is not prepared to give the United Nations the same powers in renewed talks to draft compromise measures where the two sides cannot reach agreement.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the island's northern third following a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at union with Greece.
04/21/2005 11:32 GMT