Papandrou invites Erdogan to Athens to discuss Cyprus issue

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was invited yesterday by his Greek counterpart George Papandreou to visit Athens to discuss the Cyprus issue. Papandreou's invitation followed a meeting with Greek Cypriot administration leader Demetris Christofias. Stating that Erdogan's visit has to be scheduled through diplomatic channels, Papandreou said that he also wanted to discuss Turkey's European Union accession process. Turkey's EU accession carries great importance for Greece, he added. Stressing the importance of Turkey normalizing its ties with Greek Cyprus for Ankara's EU accession, Papandreou said he wants to speak with Erdogan about this matter face-to-face. Papandreou also expressed support for the second round of intensified talks between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Christofias, which is set to start later this month.