Cyprus and Greece gave a guarded reception on Monday to the election of Turkish Cypriot nationalist Dervis Eroglu, with Cyprus saying it could set back reunification talks key to Turkey's bid to join the EU.
Eroglu, a staunch backer of Turkish Cypriot independence, won presidential elections on Sunday in the breakaway enclave of northern Cyprus, edging out Mehmet Ali Talat, a moderate engaged in peace talks with Greek Cypriots for the past 18 months.
Eroglu says he will continue negotiations, but his support for formalising Turkish Cypriot independence on the divided island is unacceptable for Greek Cypriots who represent Cyprus internationally and in the European Union.
"Taking into account the declared positions of Mr Eroglu against a federation, and for the establishment of two independent states in Cyprus, this could cause very serious problems to the (peace) negotiations," Greek Cypriot government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou told reporters.
Cyprus has been divided between rival Greek and Turkish sides since a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a brief coup inspired by Greece. Solving the issue is crucial to Turkey joining the EU, with entry talks partially frozen because of the stalemate.
President Demetris Christofias, the Greek Cypriot leader, telephoned Eroglu on Monday afternoon.
"President Christofias conveyed to Mr Eroglu his readiness to meet at the negotiation table so as to continue the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem," an official statement said.
It said Eroglu said he wanted the two to meet soon.
Ankara has said it hopes for a solution to the Cyprus problem by the end of this year.
"Turkey will continue to support negotiations for a permanent and extensive peace on the island, regardless of who chairs the Turkish Cypriot side of the table," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference on Monday.
Talat and Christofias were about half-way through reunification talks and the Greek Cypriot side has ruled out starting again from scratch.
The European Union called for swift progress in the talks.
"Now that Mr Eroglu has been elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, it is crucial that the settlement talks go on. The Commission encourages Mr Eroglu to continue in a constructive spirit the efforts towards settlement and reunification," the European Commission said in a statement.
Eroglu's participation in the reunification talks should be on the basis of an already-agreed format, which is reuniting as a two-zone federation, Stefanou and a spokesman for the Greek Foreign Ministry said.
"The positions he (Eroglu) has expressed from time to time are well known. Obviously they do not inspire any optimism and are at odds with the constructive spirit of President Christofias at the talks," a Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
