Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday reassured visiting Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias of Greece’s support for ongoing efforts to reunify the divided island and appealed to Ankara not to intervene in United Nations-mediated talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

“It is time Turkey displayed the courage to unbind the Turkish-Cypriot community and thus contribute to the process of reaching a settlement,” Papandreou told reporters during a joint press conference with Christofias at the Maximos Mansion.

“Solving the Cyprus problem is in the interests of everyone – Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkey and Greece,” he added.

The Greek premier also told reporters that he would respond to a letter from his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the next few days and invite him to Athens for talks on the Cyprus problem and other issues of bilateral concern.

In comments after his talks with Christofias yesterday, Papandreou indicated that Athens has the same stance as Nicosia. “The Cyprus problem is primarily a problem of occupation by Turkey,” he said.

Both Papandreou and Christofias criticized the latest proposals by Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat as being “negative” and departing from the principle of a bizonal, bicommunal federation that has been the basis of negotiations thus far.

President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has expressed his gratitude to Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and his government, President of the Hellenic Republic Carolos Papoulias and the leaders of Greek political parties, for their full support of efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem.

Speaking on his return to Cyprus from Greece, President Christofias said his working visit to Athens was ”absolutely successful” and that he presented the full picture of developments in the Cyprus problem, in the light of Turkish proposals, which were dismissed by the Greek Cypriot side as unacceptable.

President Christofias said ”we will coordinate and intensify the international presence and presentation of the Cyprus problem and our positions,” adding that the two governments have begun preparations to create a joint action plan.

Furthermore, he said Papandreou accepted an invitation to visit Cyprus to meet the government and party leaders, to discuss the Cyprus problem.