By Martin Banks in Cyprus - 25th June 2010
Your communities want and expect a settlement
Ban Ki-moon
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has urged a speedy resolution to the long-running Cyprus problem.
His appeal comes as negotiations resume between Greek Cypriot president Demetris Christofias and Dervis Eroglu, the nationalist hardliner who was elected leader of the northern, Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus in April.
His election sparked fears that progress made towards reunification of the divided island would stall.
This was partly because Eroglu based his campaign on opposition to a framework for a settlement thrashed out between Christofias and former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
However, Ban Ki-moon’s intervention will be seen as a positive move in the seemingly never-ending peace process.
He welcomed this month’s resumption of negotiations whose aim is the reunification of Cyprus in a bicommunal, bizonal federation.
In his message to the two men, Ban Ki-moon said, "achieving an agreement will require vision, statesmanship and courage. Your communities want and expect a settlement. This will require give and take on both sides and the ability to understand the issues and what is at stake."
Christofias said the Greek Cypriot side is ready for an "honourable" compromise and "will do everything possible to ensure that they reach a positive outcome".
Even so, some thorny issues still have to be resolved, said Cypriot government spokesman Stephanos Stephanou, including property issues, citizenship, immigration and aliens as well as EU affairs.
Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 after a pro-Greek coup and continues to keep some 43,000 of its troops in the northern half of the country, the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Turkey is widely thought to hold the key to a final settlement and its prime minister has said it wants a resolution to the dispute by the end of this year.
Turkey’s hopes of starting accession talks with the EU hinge on a settlement to the Cyprus problem.
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