LARNACA, Cyprus Jan 20 (AFP) - Turkish Cypriot prime minister Mehmet Ali Talat on Thursday became the first senior politician from northern Cyprus to visit a Muslim shrine in the Greek Cypriot south since Turkey invaded in 1974.
"This is a very holy day and one of the most important holy sites," Talat told reporters on his first visit to the Hala Sultan Tekke, a holy pilgrimage spot.
On Thursday, Muslims across the world marked Eid al-Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice, the most important festival in Islam.
The Larnaca mosque is where Muslims believe Umm Haram, an aunt of Prophet Mohammed, is buried after dying in a fall from her mount.
Talat said he had prayed for peace in Cyprus, which has been divided for more than 30 years since Turkey invaded in response to an Athens-engineered coup to unite the island with Greece.
"Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots want a solution. I don't have any doubts about this... I'm confident that we will reach a solution."
He said his visit was to fulfill a pledge to his aunt Laika and he prayed in the mosque's inner sanctuary, where the resting place of Mohammed's aunt lies.
"We want to convey our best wishes to all Cypriots... We want peace and a solution. We don't want to go on with this division forever," he said.
The politician arrived in a silver Land Rover Freelander that bore no insignia of the Turkish Republic in Northern Cyprus, which is only recognised by Turkey, or of his ministerial status.
The internationally recognised Greek Cypriot south is predominantly Orthodox Christian.
Turkish Cypriots backed a UN reunification plan at referendum last April, while a large majority of Greek Cypriots rejected it.
There has been greater communication between the two sides since 2003 when Turkish Cypriot authorities eased travel restriction across the UN-patrolled ceasefire line.
Among those travelling with Talat were his wife and her wheelchair-bound grandmother Elmaziye, 95. His four-man Turkish Cypriot security detail was shadowed by half a dozen Greek Cypriot policemen dressed in plain clothes.

01/20/2005 18:33 GMT - AFP