Cypriot leaders ‘far apart’ on peace talks

The rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus are still “far apart” on holding a final peace summit next month that would aim for an overall deal reunifying the island as a federation, a United Nations envoy said yesterday.

Espen Barth Eide said after a second day of meeting separately with Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci that getting them to agree on a summit is “proving to be very difficult”.

Mr Eide, who is mediating talks, said both leaders want a summit in Geneva, to clinch a deal ending more than four decades of division. But he said difficulties are appearing as discussions go into the details of the summit.

He said: “It’s almost getting more complicated the more details we see, which I think is sad because for the first time in living memory there is a will by both leaders to actually dedicate themselves to a final conference on all issues.” He added that he will continue to meet with the two leaders.