Reuters
8:51 p.m. CST, January 24, 2012
NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Greek Cypriot and Turkish
Cypriot leaders on Tuesday wrapped up two days of U.N.-mediated
talks on reuniting their ethnically divided island but a Greek
Cypriot source said there had been no concrete results.
Hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Cyprus
President Demetris Christofias, representing the Greek Cypriots,
and Dervis Eroglu, who heads a Turkish Cypriot state recognized
only by Ankara, met near New York to discuss progress in talks
started in 2008.
Both sides agree, on paper, on relinking Cyprus under a
federal umbrella, but differ on how it is to work.
The United Nations is focusing on the electoral system in a
future federated Cyprus, how to potentially settle property
claims from thousands of people internally displaced, and future
citizenship on an island whose demographics have shifted
massively since division in 1974.
"There was not any result," the Greek Cypriot source, who
asked not to be named, said after the latest talks ended at an
estate in the Long Island town of Manhasset. "We haven't managed
to achieve new convergences."
Turkish Cypriot officials could not immediately be reached
for comment and U.N. officials had no immediate comment.
U.N. chief Ban is due to make a statement on the talks on
Wednesday morning. "I believe the Secretary-General will ask the
two communities to continue their efforts in Cyprus," the Greek
Cypriot source said, adding that it was also possible Ban would
call for a further meeting outside of the Mediterranean island.
Cyprus, with a combined population of about 1 million, was
torn apart in a Turkish invasion triggered by a Greek-inspired
coup. The conflict is a significant source of tension between
NATO allies Greece and Turkey, and was thrown into sharper focus
by a dispute over Mediterranean hydrocarbon riches recently
discovered by Greek Cypriots and contested by Ankara.
Turkey has seen its aspirations to join the European Union
frustrated by the Cyprus stalemate and Greek Cypriots, who say
Ankara cannot join the bloc until the division is resolved.
Mediators want a deal to reunite the island before Greek
Cypriots, who represent the whole of Cyprus internationally,
take over the EU presidency in July.
Alexander Downer, the U.N. special envoy to Cyprus who
oversees peace talks, has said it is "hard to see" how the
negotiating process can go on while Cyprus is in the EU chair.
Turkey says it will freeze ties with the EU when Cyprus assumes
the presidency.
The United Nations would eventually like to have an
international conference to resolve the Cyprus issue, but the
Greek Cypriots say they will not agree to this until all
internal issues have been resolved.
(Reporting By Patrick Worsnip; editing by Mohammad Zargham)
Copyright © 2012, Reuters
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