GREECE: The Greek Prime Minister has welcomed a suggestion that the problem of Cyprus might be resolved if the island followed the example of Belgium. Mr Costas Simitis was responding to comments made by Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose Justice and Development Party won the Turkish elections on Sunday.
Mr Erdogan told Greek television on Monday he favoured "a healthy solution" to Cyprus: "We are in favour of a resolution on the basis of the Belgian model."
Mr Simitis praised the comments of Mr Erdogan during a meeting yesterday with Greek President Mr Costis Stephanopoulos but warned that Athens would not accept "any old solution" to speed the island's entry into the EU.
The future of the island, divided since Turkey invaded its northern third in 1974 following an attempted coup by Greek Cypriots, is a key question as Cyprus heads toward EU membership in 2004 and Turkey struggles to advance its own bid to join.
Belgium is divided between north and south - the Flemish region in the north, and the Walloon region in the south, with the capital Brussels in the middle - each populated by peoples who speak different languages. Ethnic rivalries have caused occasional violent clashes. However, a federal structure, much of it set in place from 1970 and 1993, has allowed each group a level of self-governance under one umbrella state.- (AFP)