Greek, Turkish Cypriot Leaders to Resume Talks

UNITED NATIONS — Leaders of the Greek and Turkish communities on Cyprus have agreed to resume talks aimed at settling their differences, U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar announced Friday.

The Mediterranean island has two governments, one headed by Cypriot President George Vassiliou, representing Greek Cypriots on the southern part of the island, and Ankara-backed leader Rauf Dentash, representing Turkish Cypriots in the north.

The two communities have been divided by a “green line” manned by about 2,200 U.N. peacekeeping troops since 1964.

Perez de Cuellar said Vassiliou and Denktash have agreed to meet with him to “negotiate a settlement of all aspects of the Cyprus problem.”

“They have accepted the secretary general’s invitation to meet at U.N. headquarters in New York Aug. 24,” he said.

The island gained independence from Britain in 1960, but fighting erupted three years later, prompting the U.N. Security Council to send in peacekeepers. Turkish troops have been occupying the northern part of the island since 1974. Denktash declared a separate state in October, 1983, but his regime is not recognized by the United Nations or any nation, except Turkey.