Turkish Cypriot leader to meet EU officials in Brussels

Talat will give a speech at a conference on the Cyprus problem at the European Policy Center in the Belgian capital of Brussels, and will meet European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn at a dinner to discuss recent developments regarding the ethnically divided Mediterranean island.

He is also expected to have talks with permanent representatives of some European Union (EU) member states, particularly France, holding the rotating presidency of the union.

Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias last week expressed hope to reach a solution "as soon as possible" after their meeting which launched last-ditch reunification talks, seen as the best chance in years of ending the island's 44-year division.

The U.N.-sponsored meeting -- the fifth this year between Christofias and Talat -- paved the way for substantive negotiations to begin on Sept. 11, initially focusing on power-sharing.

It is the first intensive push for peace since a U.N. reunification plan was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by the Greek Cypriots.

Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves.

BAN CALLS LEADERS
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon personally congratulated Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders for agreeing to full-fledged negotiations aimed at reuniting Cyprus.

Ban spoke separately to Christofias and Talat by telephone ahead of their first round of negotiations scheduled for Thursday, U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said.

The secretary-general also spoke to his special adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, who is currently in Athens where he met earlier Monday with top government officials including Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, she said.

Downer will fly to Ankara on Wednesday for meetings with Turkish leaders including President Abdullah Gul. He will return to Cyprus early Thursday to attend the first substantive meeting between Christofias and Talat on the negotiations, Montas said.

Ban spoke to the two leaders Monday morning "to congratulate them personally on the formal launch last week of full-fledged negotiations aimed at a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem," she said.