U.N .Seeks International Conference on Divided Cyprus

U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday he will call an international conference on ending the division of Cyprus this year if leaders of the rival sides make "decisive" steps to overcome disputes.

He said the conference could be in April or May, but reported only "limited progress" from two days of talks this week with Demetris Christofias, head of the internationally recognized Greek-Cypriot government, and Turkish-Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkish troops invaded the northern third in response to a Greek-inspired coup in Nicosia aimed at uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes the authorities in the northern sector.

The U.N. Secretary General has been struggling for three years to get the two leaders to make concessions. Talks this week focused on how to elect a single government, property disputes and citizenship, officials said.

"Discussions over these two days were robust and intensive, also limited progress was achieved," Ban told reporters at the U.N. headquarters.

The two sides will exchange data on property within two weeks, Ban said.

The U.N. leader and his special envoy on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, will decide at the end of March whether to call an international conference on Cyprus to put an international seal on any accord.

If Downer gives a "positive" assessment, and after consulting the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot leaders, "I intend to call a multilateral conference in late April or early May," Ban said.

"At this stage of the talks, to maintain the momentum and continue negotiations, even in an intensive manner, is not enough. I have urged the leaders to make decisive steps to move to a final agreement," Ban said with Christofias and Eroglu at his side.

Any international conference would include Greece and Turkey as the main backers of the two sides, the European Union, Britain and other international powers, diplomats said.

Ban has in the past warned the two sides that he could end U.N. efforts to broker a deal unless they show more commitment to a solution.

The U.N. leader spent more than 12 hours with Christofias and Eroglu in the talks at the Greentree Estate near New York.

The U.N. is pressuring for concessions now because the Greek-Cypriot government takes over the European Union presidency from July 1 and this would push back any hope of an accord until next year.

Diplomats said the chances of a conference happening were limited because of the entrenched positions of the two sides.

Going into the talks, Christofias said it would take "a miracle" to make progress.