Cyprus talks to resume in Geneva on June 28: UN

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders will return to Geneva on June 28 for talks aimed at tackling some of the thorniest issues in the way of a historic deal on the reunification of Cyprus.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the talks with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, who heads the island's internationally recognized government, and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci, the UN announced today.
Guterres persuaded the two leaders to return to the negotiating table during a four-hour meeting at UN headquarters in New York on Sunday.
Guarantor powers Greece, Turkey and Britain will also attend, as will a representative of the European Union as an observer.

UN envoy Espen Barth Eide on Monday said the two-year diplomatic effort to reach a settlement was in its "final mile."
The leaders will have to decide on "giving final accommodations and concessions that haven't been given before," he said.

The UN-led talks hit a wall in late May after the sides failed to agree on the terms to advance the reunification talks toward a final summit.
A key stumbling block remains new security arrangements that would address Greek Cypriot demands for a withdrawal of Turkish troops as a priority and Turkish Cypriot insistence that other issues should be addressed first.

Negotiations are aimed at creating a new federation in Cyprus but disagreements over the return of property and power-sharing have yet to be fully resolved.
The UN envoy is working on a specific document on security that would outline the various steps needed to address both sides' demands.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said it remained unclear whether the security deal would be finalized in time for the June 28 conference, adding that "obviously security is an issue on the agenda."
Eide said the next round would likely last two weeks.
The eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece.

Turkey maintains some 35,000 troops in the north of the island.
The United Nations, which has 950 peacekeepers serving in Cyprus, could have some oversight role to implement the new security arrangements.
After a UN reunification blueprint was rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum in 2004, Cyprus joined the EU still a divided island, with the breakaway north recognized only by Turkey.