The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday strongly urged the rival leaders of Cyprus to intensify the momentum of negotiations to reunify the divided Mediterranean island, echoing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's view that «a solution is well within reach.» The council expressed concern at the slow pace of progress in recent month and said it looks forward to «decisive progress in the near future.» The U.N.'s most powerful body pressed for stepped-up negotiations in a resolution adopted unanimously that extended the more than 1,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in Cyprus until June 15, 2011. The Security Council welcomed Ban's efforts to stimulate progress during his meeting with Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu at U.N. headquarters on Nov. 18.
