Macau, Jan 15, SPA -- Taiwan and China began talks Saturday ontemporarily lifting the island's five-decade ban on directflights between the two rivals during next month's LunarNew Year holiday. If the negotiators succeed in reaching an agreement, thedeal would be the biggest breakthrough between Taiwan andChina in years. It could raise a possible thaw in tensionsin one of Asia's most dangerous potential flashpoints. Chinese negotiator Pu Zhaozhou said before the talksstarted in a hotel in the Chinese territory of Macau that"we hope we can reach a consensus as soon as possible. Upto now, everyone has been very sincere." His Taiwanese counterpart, Billy Chang, also expressedoptimism: "My expectation is success." The charter flights would carry hundreds of Taiwanese whowork or study in China back home for the weeklong New Yearholiday, which begins Feb. 8. The celebration is the year'sbiggest in ethnic Chinese societies. Taiwanese and Chinese airlines haven't flown directflights since a bloody civil war split the two sides in1949. Taiwan has banned direct flights, citing securityconcerns with China, which has repeatedly threatened toattack.--more1249 Local Time 0949 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/232647