Military

DATE=2/6/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= EU / CYPRUS (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-312817

BYLINE= ROGER WILKISON

DATELINE= BRUSSELS

INTRO: European Union officials say they are confident a deal can be struck to reunite Cyprus before May first, when the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot southern part of the island will join the bloc. V-O-A's Roger Wilkison reports from Brussels.

TEXT: E-U officials say they are guardedly optimistic that talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots proposed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will lead to the end of Cyprus' 30-year-old de facto partition.

That optimism was reinforced Friday, when veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash announced he would attend the talks in New York, which are scheduled to begin next week.

Still, Mr. Denktash, who has long been seen by U-N and E-U officials as an obstacle to the island's reunification, called Mr. Annan's insistence on a quick resumption of the talks an imposition. He has argued that he needs more time to prepare for a new round of negotiations.

Mr. Annan, however, says that time is running out. He told reporters in Brussels last month that a Cyprus reunification plan needs to be finalized by the end of March, if both the Greek and Turkish parts of the island are to join the E-U by May first. That would allow both sides of the island to hold referenda in April, in which Greek and Turkish Cypriots would either approve or reject the deal.

E-U officials say the fact that Mr. Annan called the two parties to the negotiating table means that he feels an accord can be reached. They add that Turkey has put pressure on Mr. Denktash to join the talks, despite his reservations.

The Turkish government knows that, if a reunification deal is not reached in the weeks ahead, Turkish Cypriots would be unable to benefit from membership in the E-U. More importantly, Turkey's own chances of joining the bloc would be jeopardized.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who spent Thursday and Friday meeting with E-U officials in Brussels, says his government is doing everything it can to ensure that a Cyprus solution will be reached by the May first deadline. But he says both Greek and Turkish Cypriots must show that they are willing to compromise.

/// GUL ACTUALITY ///

We prefer that they settle the problem before May. Of course, this depends on both sides' moves. Compromise is part of European culture. We hope that both sides try to compromise.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

E-U Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen says that, once it is in the E-U, Cyprus has to be able to speak with one voice, and should not be permitted to bloc E-U decision-making only because its Greek and Turkish sides cannot agree on a common position. (SIGNED)

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