Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat warned yesterday that forcing Turkey to recognize Cyprus before the island's division is resolved could destroy prospects for a solution and potentially lead to civil war. In an interview with The Associated Press, Talat said Turkey's accession talks with the European Union — to start on Oct. 3 — could force Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos to return to the negotiating table, but accused the Greek-Cypriot leader of not wanting to solve the problem or even talk to the Turkish-Cypriot side.Talat said he did not believe it would be possible for Turkey to recognize the Cypriot government before a solution is found. Forcing Turkey to do so is "not imaginable" and such an act by Ankara would effectively mean "deserting the Turkish-Cypriots," Talat said. "Just imagine if it is done... What will happen? I mean we are still alive, the Turkish-Cypriots are living in the north and they will defend themselves. This will cause a civil war maybe. It is more dangerous," he added, invoking images of the inter-communal violence that ravaged Cyprus from 1963 to 1974.