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Cypriot leaders meeting for talks Cypriot leaders meeting for talks
(about 2 hours later)
Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat are meeting in Nicosia for the first time in a year. Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat are meeting in Nicosia for the first time in over a year.
The pair are expected to discuss how to revive efforts to reunite the island. The pair arrived separately for the talks in a UN-patrolled neutral zone.
When they last met in July 2006 they promised to set up bi-communal working groups to explore issues affecting the day to day lives of all Cypriots. The leaders are expected to discuss how to revive efforts to reunite the island, divided since 1974, but analysts say optimism is low.
But one year on, no progress has been made and none of the proposed working groups has met. When they last met they promised to set up bi-communal working groups, but one year on no progress has been made.
Mr Talat recently said that trust between the two communities was at a very low ebb. Experts on the committees were supposed to address matters of substance and Mr Papadopoulos and Mr Talat would meet intermittently to assess the process, says the BBC's Tabitha Morgan, in Nicosia.
Some political observers argue the meeting forms part of President Papadopoulos's campaign for re-election next February. However, Mr Talat recently said that trust between the two communities was at a very low ebb.
Some say the meeting is part of Mr Papadopoulos's campaign for re-election next February.
Up to now he has shown little enthusiasm for meeting Mr Talat.Up to now he has shown little enthusiasm for meeting Mr Talat.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Athens government.Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Athens government.