In final Cyprus visit, Eide says deal down to rival sides, not UN

After a farewell meeting with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades in Nicosia on Thursday, outgoing United Nations envoy Espen Barth Eide said the reunification talks that collapsed last month at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana can only be revived through an agreement between both sides of the divide, and not the UN.

"What I am saying, and I think the leaders agree - I am not speaking on their behalf but it is my sense that it is a shared understanding - [is] that [the process] will not be resurrected by the UN," he told reporters.

"The resurrection will have to happen from here, in harmony, and through agreement by the sides and, if they agree, [with] the secretary-general there," the Norwegian diplomat added.

Eide, who also met separately with Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, admitted, however, that it won't be easy.

"You should not give up hope. On...