Cyprus' divided Greek and Turkish communities must urge their leaders to make peace and accept compromises to obtain concessions, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in an interview published in Athens Sunday.
"I know that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have lived together in the past," Annan told the pro-government newspaper Ethnos.
"Now they are separated. But, in our times, this type of divide never lasts forever. I hope then that the people, the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, encourage their leaders to find a peaceful solution."
"A solution which will be accepted by everyone and which satisfies everyone and which will allow for a definitive resolution of the problem in Cyprus," Annan added.
He said Greek Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash "must each compromise in order to obtain concessions from the other."
Annan said the two should "discuss essential questions in a spirit of dialogue."
"I hope that we can now try and make real progress," said Annan.
Clerides and Denktash have resumed, under UN mediation, a third session of indirect talks in Geneva about the future of the divided Mediterranean island.
The two communities have been totally separated since Turkish troops stormed and occupied the northern third of the island on July 20th, 1974, in response to an Athens-backed coup in the island's capital Nicosia aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece.
In 1983, the Turkish community proclaimed itself a breakaway state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which only Ankara recognizes.
The Geneva talks, due to last until August 4th, are focusing on security, the division of power, and property and territory on the island.
A further round of similar discussions is due to take place at the United Nations in New York on September 12th – ATHENS (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
