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UN envoy Jane Holl Lute arrives at the presidential palace for a meeting with Cyprus' president Nikos Anastasiades in the divided capital of Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, July 23, 2018. Lute holds talks with ethnically divided Cyprus' rival leaders to gauge prospects for a resumption of moribund reunification talks. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

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Watched by the media, UN envoy Jane Holl Lute, right, talks with Cyprus' president Nikos Anastasiades at the presidential palace in the divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, July 23, 2018. Lute holds talks with ethnically divided Cyprus' rival leaders to gauge prospects for a resumption of moribund reunification talks. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

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UN envoy Jane Holl Lute arrives at the presidential palace for a meeting with Cyprus' president Nikos Anastasiades in the divided capital of Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, July 23, 2018. Lute holds talks with ethnically divided Cyprus' rival leaders to gauge prospects for a resumption of the moribund reunification talks. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

UN envoy gauges chances for Cyprus peace talks resumption

By Associated Press AP

PUBLISHED 1:56 PM ET May. 09, 2019

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A United Nations envoy has sounded out the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus to see whether conditions are ripe for a resumption of reunification talks.

Jane Holl Lute met separately Monday with Cyprus' Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots Mustafa Akinci. No statements were made after either meeting.

Anastasiades and Akinci have both said publicly that they're ready to re-engage more than a year after the most recent round of negotiations collapsed, but differences remain.

Anastasiades wants Turkey to pull its troops out of the breakaway north and to eliminate any intervention rights from an accord.

Akinci wants Turkish Cypriots to share power equally with the majority Greek Cypriots in an envisioned federation and a time limit to negotiations.