Turkish Cypriot president says international conference closer

NEW YORK (A.A) - January 25, 2012 - Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroglu on Wednesday said prospects for an international conference on a Cyprus settlement was close. "We are closer to a multilateral international meeting today than we were yesterday. The important thing for us is the calendar announced by the UN Secretary General," Eroglu told reporters after his two-day meeting with UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias in Greentree, New York.   Ban Ki-moon earlier Wednesday announced that he would call for an international conference to find a settlement to the Cyprus issue in late April or early May provided that his chief advisor on Cyprus presented a positive report about the two leaders' progress.   Eroglu said the goal in Monday's and Tuesday's meetings were to conclude the negotiations on citizenship, elections of the executive branch and properties issue in line with the request of the UN head, but added that the uncompromising position of the Greek Cypriot leader had prevented progress.       "Christofias' approach was negative when we met the Secretary General. It was apparent that the Greek leader did not come to Greentree to achieve results," Eroglu said.