Talks status still in limbo

NO DATE has been set for a new meeting between senior advisers to the leaders of the two sides, the government said yesterday.

Regular meetings screeched to a halt last week when the Turkish Cypriot side pulled out of talks for a planned meeting between Mehmet Ali Talat and President Tassos Papadopoulos.

Talat was peeved that a British football team cancelled a match in the north after complaints by the Cyprus Football Association.

Government spokesman Vassilis Palmas said yesterday the regular meetings between Tasos Tzonis and Rasit Pertev were still not back on track after the debacle.

Palmas was commenting on statements by a spokesman for Talat saying the meeting between Papadopoulos and Talat could take place if the Greek Cypriot side wanted it.

Later reports quoted Talat as saying he would meet Papadopoulos “when the moment was right”.

The Turkish Cypriot side also released details yesterday of a telephone conversation between Talat and UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon where the former complained about the cancelled football match.

“President Mr Talat and Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon have agreed to meet at the earliest convenience,” said yesterday’s statement. No date has been fixed.

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