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Cyprus Rivals Face Deadline to Keep UN Peace Talks Alive

UN leader Ban Ki-moon will start two days of talks with the rival leaders of divided Cyprus on Monday having warned them that time is running out to seal an accord.
Ban has in the past told Demetris Christofias, head of the internationally recognized Greek-Cypriot government, and Turkish-Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, that he could end UN efforts to broker a peace deal.
The two have since redoubled efforts to overcome the legal and political obstacles to rejoining the island split since 1974, diplomats said.
Still far from an accord, they go into the fifth round of talks with Ban at the Greentree Estate in the New York suburbs with a deadline. The Greek Cypriots are due to take over the European Union presidency from January 1 next year which would put all hopes on hold.
“The United Nations is providing all possible support to these Cypriot-led negotiations,” said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky ahead of the talks.
“The secretary general looks forward to a productive meeting and concrete progress. He has conveyed his expectations to the leaders for a resolution of this issue. He believes that with political will and firm commitment the two leaders can and should reach a much-needed settlement on Cyprus.”
Ban has also spoken of the need for progress in his fifth meeting with the two leaders.
“This will be a more intensive consultation,” he told reporters last month. “I believe that time is quite limited.”
With Cyprus getting close to the EU presidency, “the window of our opportunity for further progress in negotiations is very much limited. It may be politically difficult and sensitive, when the presidency of the European Union is now going to be part of this.”
The United States is also pressing the two sides to overcome their rivalry.
“We urge the leaders to seize this important opportunity to make real and substantial progress toward a settlement reunifying the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Saturday.
Ban, who has former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer as his special envoy, said that if there was a breakthrough an international conference on Cyprus could be the next step in a permanent settlement.
(source: AFP)

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