24 January 2004	Saturday	01 Zilhaj 1424

ANKARA, Jan 23: Turkey's political and military leaders threw their weight on Friday behind a resumption of stalled peace talks for the divided island of Cyprus and said they aimed for a speedy deal.

In a statement issued after a four-hour meeting, Turkey's National Security Council (MGK) also said it accepted a United Nations' peace blueprint but that the "realities of the island" must be taken into account.

"A consensus was reached on the need to start trying to revive the negotiation process in Cyprus," the statement said. Talks broke down 10 months ago after Turkish Cypriots rejected the UN plan.

The phrase "realities of the island" is often taken in Turkey as political shorthand for recognising the Turkish Cypriot enclave of northern Cyprus as an equal partner of the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot south.

Turkey is under heavy international pressure to push the Turkish Cypriots into accepting a reunification deal before Cyprus enters the European Union on May 1.

Failure to reach a settlement would mean only the Greek Cypriot government joining the EU, a move likely to cement the island's ethnic division anddeepen the Turkish Cypriots' isolation.-Reuters