|
U.N.-sponsored talks in Switzerland aimed at ending a stalemate that has kept the island of Cyprus divided for more than four decades have ended without an agreement. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday, "Unfortunately...an agreement was not possible and the conference was closed without the possibility to bring a solution to this dramatically long-lasting problem." Conference participants in the United Nations' attempt to reunite the island included the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders and representatives of the three guarantor powers -- Greece, Turkey and former colonial ruler Britain. Senior European Union officials were also in attendance. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and later occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired uprising seeking union with Greece. Turkey maintains 35,000 Turkish troops in north Cyprus. The Greek community views them as a danger and wants them to leave. The Turkish Cypriots, however, see the troops as a guarantee of their safety. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the main sticking point in the Swiss talks was Greek and Greek Cypriot insistence that Turkey withdraw all of its troops from the island and for military intervention rights to be abolished. Guterres said even though the talks had collapsed "that doesn't mean that other initiatives cannot be developed in order to address the Cyprus problem." | 
