A senior European lawmaker expressed hope for peace talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders, reported Worldbulletin.
European Parliament's High Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish Cypriot Community, headed by Mechtild Rothe, held talks in the island over the past few days.
At a press conference to assess their talks in Cyprus, Rothe said the group was informed that negotiations had never been such positive and added that it was quite hopeful for a solution in the island.
Cyprus talks, which were interrupted when Greek Cypriots rejected a United Nations plan (Annan plan) in twin referendums in 2004, resumed in September 11, 2008 following the victory of Demetris Christofias, AKEL chairman, in the presidential election held in Greek Cypriot part of the island.
Following a four-year halt in negotiations, Turkish Cypriot President Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Christofias re-launched talks on September 11, 2008 under the "administration and power sharing" topic.
Rothe said, finally, everyone they talked to in the island had hopes to reach a settlement in Cyprus, adding that she was involved in Cyprus question for 25 years and never saw such optimism regarding the solution to the problem.
Rothe said EU's major goal was a united single state in Cyprus in which Turkish and Greek Cypriots were part of EU with single citizenship.
However, Rothe said she was personally concerned over the outcomes of early general elections to be held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on April 19. But she said Turkish Cypriots were aware of the situation and would decide on their own.