Cypriot Leaders Consider Direct Telephone Hotline

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders are considering setting up a first-ever direct telephone link on Tuesday, a United Nation's spokesman said on Tuesday. The U.N. peacekeeping spokesman Jose Luis Diaz confirmed the hotline would aim to facilitate a renewed bid by Greek Cypriot leader President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to reunify the island, the AP reported. The hotline would be the first direct communication link between the leaders of the two communities in more than three decades. The phone link is further indication of the commitment both Christofias and Talat have pledged to resolving the long-standing conflict. The two leaders will meet July 25 to assess progress in preparatory negotiations and decide when to restart direct peace talks. Reunification talks have been deadlocked since... [read full story]