Cyprus leaders meet, breakthrough chances slim

NICOSIA, Sept 5 (Reuters) The leaders of Cyprus's divided communities met today for the first time in a year but hopes were slim they would relaunch stalled peace talks harming Turkey's EU accession bid, diplomats said.

The United Nations was hosting the rare encounter between Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in an airport compound abandoned in fighting in 1974.

The two, who last met in July 2006, arrived separately and made no statements to the media.

Diplomats said they did not expect a major breakthrough because of Greek Cypriot elections in February and disputes on the peace talks agenda. The conflict is a source of tension between NATO allies Greece and Turkey, which invaded the Mediterranean island in 1974 after a brief Greek coup.

''There are talks opening today which are potentially very important for the Cyprus issue and we hope those talks are entered into with openness and determination on both sides,'' said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in Ankara today.

Turkey's EU entry hopes are complicated because Cyprus is already a member of the bloc, with veto rights over Ankara.

A July 2006 deal outlining a two-track process of Turkish-favoured discussions on confidence building, and tackling harder issues such as displaced people's rights advocated by the Greeks was never carried through because of disputes over what took precedence.

''I don't think we should be overly optimistic. It has to be seen in a political context with (Greek Cypriot) presidential elections next year, and the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side is known to be uncomfortable with this particular process,'' a diplomat following the peace process said.

Papadopoulos led Greek Cypriot rejection of a UN power-sharing blueprint in 2004 which the Turkish Cypriots accepted. He is seeking re-election, and is slightly ahead of his two main contenders in opinion polls.

Cyprus is represented in the EU by its internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government, headed by Papadopoulos. Turkey supports a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in north Cyprus headed by Talat.

REUTERS PDT KN2128