EU President On Cyprus Issue

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Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President said that a solution to the Cyprus issue would constitute a "Historic, important step" which would be in the interest of Cyprus, Europe and Turkey.  He was speaking during a press conference on Monday with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Republic of Cyprus President Demetri Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been in direct negotiations since September last year, in order to find a solution to the problem of reunifying the Island, divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.
 

The Turkish Prime Minister assured the European Commission President of his Government's determination to make every effort for the talks underway in Cyprus to end in a solution.
 

The Republic of Cyprus has been an EU member state since 1^st May 2004.