Greek Cypriot government does not see deal by year end

The pace of Cyprus reunification talks offers little prospect of the deal and referendum by the end of this year sought by Turkey, a senior Greek Cypriot official said yesterday.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul told a news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Monday that Ankara wanted talks aimed at reunifying the ethnically divided island to conclude soon, with a referendum by the end of this year.

"As things now stand... if things do not change, we cannot see how it will be possible to agree by December on a solution which will then go to referendum," said Stefanos Stefanou, a spokesman for Cyprus's Greek Cypriot government.

He said he based that assessment on positions submitted by the Turkish side at reunification talks, which started between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities last September. "That's why we are calling on the Turkish side to change its stance," said Mr Stefanou.