January 23, 2010

Greek Cypriot president asks for EU's help in peace talks

Thursday, January 21, 2010

 NICOSIA - The Associated Press

Greek Cyprus' president says he has asked the new head of the European Union for help in ongoing talks on reunifying the ethnically divided island.

Dimitris Christofias says he asked EU President Herman van Rompuy to ensure that any deal is based on European law and the bloc's "principles and values."

Van Rompuy says the time is ripe for "courageous and forward-looking decisions."

Both spoke after talks in Nicosia on Thursday.

Christofias, a Greek Cypriot, and Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat have made limited progress in more than 60 meetings over the past 16 months.

Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, 30 years after Turkey intervened following a coup aimed at union with Greece.

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