UN chief to open crucial phase of talks on Cyprus

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Switzerland to open intensive discussions between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders on Nov. 7, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced here Friday.

"The talks will take place in Mont Pelerin and will focus on territory, the first time the leaders will negotiate on the issue directly," Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

"The secretary-general has been closely following the Cyprus negotiations throughout his tenure, and he looks forward to lending his personal support to the work of the two leaders as they enter this crucial phase of negotiations," the spokesman added.

In September, Ban was reported to have kept up his pressure on leaders of the Cypriot communities to make good on their promises to try to end the 42-year long division of Cyprus, reports said.

Ban was reported to have telephoned Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in late September, days after he met them in person in New York.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey occupied its northern part, in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece, and moved Turkish Cypriots from all over the island into the enclave controlled by Turkish troops.

The leaders of both the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus have said that after four decades of negotiations they are close to a solution by the end of this year, provided they can overcome difficulties in agreeing on security arrangements and the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus. Enditem