ABDULLAH GUL CALLS FOR REFERENDUM IN CYPRUS BY END-2009

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.07.2009 19:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey wants talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus to
conclude soon and a referendum by the end of 2009, President Abdullah
Gul told a news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali
Talat on Monday.

The two sides launched reunification talks last year.

"We want the negotiations to be concluded speedily. If possible, we
want to see (the result of the negotiations) submitted to the public
through a referendum by the end of this year," Gul said.

Talat said there was progress in some areas in negotiations with the
Greek Cypriots, while some others remain difficult to solve. He did
not elaborate.

Cyprus joined the EU as a divided island when Greek Cypriots in
the South rejected the UN reunification plan in twin referendums in
2004 even though the Turkish Cypriots in the north overwhelmingly
supported it.

The promise made by EU foreign ministers before the referendums to
end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and establish direct trade
with North Cyprus remains unfulfilled.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress