UN chief urges talks on divided Cyprus

The UN secretary-general urged Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to start serious talks to unite the divided island.

Izvor: AP

Saturday, 07.07.2007.

10:05

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UN chief urges talks on divided Cyprus

Cyprus has been divided between a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish-occupied north since 1974, when Turkey invaded after an abortive Athens-backed coup by supporters of union with Greece. In a 2004 referendum, a U.N. reunification plan was rejected by Greek Cypriot voters and accepted by Turkish Cypriots.

The 2006 agreement called for an immediate start on two-tier negotiations — one tackling everyday issues to build confidence, and the other dealing with more serious political disputes, including territorial and power-sharing arrangements in a federal state.

"Although the two sides continue to be engaged through regular discussions under the auspices of the United Nations ... it is regrettable that one year has passed without any start to the agreed process," Ban's deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.

"The secretary-general takes this opportunity, therefore, to urge the two leaders to build on the progress achieved to date, by showing the necessary imagination and political courage to move from talks about procedures to real engagement on substance," she said.

Last month, the U.N. Security Council called on Greek and Turkish Cypriots "to immediately engage constructively with the United Nations" on practical ways to speed up the process aimed at resuming stalled talks.

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