Nicosia - The new UN envoy to Cyprus said Tuesday he was encouraged that both leaders of the divided island were determined to find a solution to their decades-old conflict.

Former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer told journalists that prospects for a solution to the Cyprus conflict were never as positive.

He was encouraged by the determination of both Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to find a mutually-acceptable solution.

Athens - Italy, France and Cyprus said on Friday they were sending firefighting aircraft to help battle a massive forest fire raging out of control for the fourth day on the Dodecannese island of Rhodes.

Officials said Italy was sending two firefighting aircraft and France two more to help battle the blaze. Cyprus said it was sending one helicopter which was expected to arrive on the island later in the day.

Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers, with the assistance of Greek aircraft, were fighting the flames which was approaching several mountain villages.

Authorities declared a disaster on the island, where dozens of homes have been burned and at least 2,500 acres of forest destroyed.

Nicosia - The two leaders of the ethnically divided island of Cyprus were set to meet again on Friday to decide whether the conditions were favourable to launch direct reunification talks.

Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have held several meetings to discuss progress made by working and technical groups striving to set the groundwork for the start of peace talks to end the decades-old division of the island.

The working and technical groups from both communities are trying to narrow the divide on a number of issues ranging from environmental protection, health, security, power-sharing, culture, ways of linking the island's two economies as well as property and territory disputes.

Athens 

Athens/Nicosia - The two leaders of the ethnically divided island of Cyprus will decide on July 25 whether to proceed to direct reunification talks, Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias said Tues