Mehmet Ali Talat, president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias are to meet on July 25 2008 for preparatory negotiations about talks on the future of Cyprus.

Prior to the meeting, the two sides' delegations will come together for preliminary work on the issue, Anatolia News Agency reported on July 22.

Turkey alone recognises the TRNC, which declared independence in 1983. The United Nations and the European Union hold that the Republic of Cyprus is sovereign over the whole island. A Turkish military presence is maintained in Northern Cyprus, a legacy of the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

The online version of Greek daily Kathimerini reported on July 22 that Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis had on July 19 called on Turkey to help end the "status quo" on Cyprus. She made the call as events were held in Greece and on the island to mark the 34th anniversary of the Turkish invasion.

"There must be an end to this unacceptable situation and a fair and viable solution must be found, respecting Security Council resolutions and European principles," Bakoyannis said in a statement.

"The efforts made in this direction by President Christofias and the Cypriot leadership have the unflinching support of Greece," Bakoyannis said.

She called on Ankara "not to encourage acts of intransigence" and to back a new round of United Nations-sponsored negotiations.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Northern Cyprus on July 19, saying that Turkey "deeply believed" that if the parties had the will to achieve a solution, this could be done very quickly.

Cyprus's Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said that a comment by Erdogan calling for a solution by two equal states was "unfortunate."

On July 20, Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet said that the talks between Talat and Christofias had been "criticised by many circles, particulary former TRNC president Rauf Denktas, for they aim at an agreement on the principle of `one sovereignty and one citizenship'."