U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon called on leaders of divided Cyprus to overcome their differences by October with a view to ending a conflict harming Turkey's bid to join the European Union, according to Reuters. Ban met Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in Geneva to revive foundering negotiations before Cyprus assumes the rotating EU presidency in mid-2012. "I have every expectation that by October the leaders will be able to report they have reached convergence on all core issues and that we will meet that month in New York," Ban said in a statement read out in the presence of the two leaders. Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup. Its Greek Cypriots represent the island internationally and in the EU, and say Turkey cannot join the bloc until the division of the island is resolved. Ban, who also met the Cypriot leaders in January in a bid to add momentum to the talks, said the sides had worked steadily to take the negotiations forward since then. "But progress has been far too slow," he said. -- SPA
