UN chief urges Cyprus leaders to seize peace deal chance
Posted November 07, 2016 6:00 am
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - The United Nations chief is urging the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus to seize the opportunity for a reunification deal that he says is within their reach.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the two leaders are at a "critical juncture" in talks now taking place in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, and that they must make the most of the moment. Ban on Monday offered his full support to Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and called on Greece, Britain and Turkey to give their backing.
Anastasiades and Akinci will concentrate over five days of talks on how much territory each side will administer under an envisioned federation.
Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup aiming at union with Greece.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, speaks next to UN Special Adviser for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, left, before a meeting related to reunification talks on Cyprus in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. Ban is urging the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus to seize the opportunity for a reunification deal that he says is within their reach. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon waves as he arrives for a meeting related to reunification talks on Cyprus in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. Ban is urging the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus to seize the opportunity for a reunification deal that he says is within their reach. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)
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A woman with a boy walk by the barrels and sand bags that blocked a street that divided the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot controlled areas, north and south in the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press
People walk at the Ledras main shopping pedestrian street in the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press
People walk at the Ledras or Lokmaci in Turkish, main shopping pedestrian street in the Turkish breakaway northern part of the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press
A Turkish military guard post is seen through a battle position blocking a road that divided the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot controlled areas, North and South in the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press
An abandoned Cypriot guard post which was being used by the military, stands on the outskirts of the Turkish Cypriot breakaway north part of the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press
Women sit on a bench under a sign reading "Peace" next to the Ledra checkpoint in a pedestrian shopping street in the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
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A man stands on the Venetian wall behind a fence at the Turkish Cypriot controlled area and looks to the Greek Cypriot part in the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press
A cat sits in a battle position that divided the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot controlled areas, North and South in the divided capital Nicosia in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. Past efforts to solve the ethnical division of Cyprus have failed, but the leaders are heading to the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin for meetings next week that could be the precursor to one last summit to sort out the final details of a deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Associated Press