Cyprus leaders still 'far apart' on peace summit, UN envoy says

A United Nations envoy has said 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.

Espen Barth Eide said Thursday 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."

Eide says it is "almost getting more complicated" the deeper that discussions go into the details of how to structure a summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

Eide said he will continue to meet with the leaders, who want talks to continue.

Post-reunification security arrangements that involve "guarantors" Greece, Turkey and Britain remain a key hurdle.

[AP]