UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The U.N.-sponsored talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders aimed at unification lasted fewer than two hours Tuesday, but are to resume Wednesday.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan met for a few minutes with each of the leaders -- Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash -- before they all met together for the 1.5-hour session on the decades-old problem.
Annan hopes the talks will lead to an accord for unification of the Mediterranean island before the Greek Cypriot's scheduled May accession to the European Union.
Alvaro de Soto, the secretary-general's longtime Cyprus envoy, told reporters after the meetings: "It was a constructive discussion. The secretary-general has asked them to stay on and take the morning off for reflection and we will be meeting again tomorrow afternoon at 4 (EST)."
While de Soto called the talks "constructive," it does not sound promising since the Greek and Turkish Cypriot principles were asked to "reflect" before the next session.
"The secretary-general is being very patient with these two leaders," one cautious U.N. official told United Press International.
