Turkish Cypriot leader optimistic about talks

If the leaders on Cyprus act responsibly, a solution can be found by year's-end, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Dervis Eroglu yesterday. "As soon as I took office as Turkish Cypriot president, I sent a letter to the United Nations secretary-general demanding that Cyprus negotiations for a comprehensive solution pick up from where they left off," Eroglu said in a televised address to the Turkish Cypriot nation. "I have put forward my determination for a just and lasting peace agreement on Cyprus." He added, "We believe that if the leaders on Cyprus act responsibly, we can reach a solution by the end of the year. I'm ready to do what I must towards this end." He added that it is out of the question for Turkish Cypriots to return to the days before 1974. "My colleagues and I will continue to work so that the Turkish Cypriot people reach the status they deserve in the international arena with their rights and legal entity," he said.