UN chief hosts peace talks with rival Cypriot leaders

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, center, shakes hands with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, left, and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, right, at the United Nations headquarters Sunday, June 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

UNITED NATIONS—United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is hosting a working dinner with the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus, hoping to break an impasse in talks aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island.

Before dinner began Sunday, the UN chief posed for photographers with the two leaders—crossing his hands to hold one with the island’s Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the other with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

Anastasiades told reporters he expects the talks to “pave the way for a constructive dialogue in order to reach not just progress but a settlement.”

Akinci accused the Cypriot leader of putting forward “preconditions,” saying that if both sides stay within agreed parameters “then the way forward can be opened.” He said that “we will see now” if that’s possible. JPV/rga