U.N. Cyprus envoy seeks lasting deal, no quick fix

Amid growing pressure for a peace deal on Cyprus, a United Nations envoy cautioned against a superficial quick fix and said on Friday that any agreement must last.

Cyprus's estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities have been discussing reunification since September 2008, the latest attempt to end a 35-year conflict that is holding up Turkey's hopes of joning the European Union.

"You have to put together an agreement which will hold in place…there's no point cobbling together something that won't work just for the sake of finishing it nice and fast," said U.N. envoy Alexander Downer, a former Australian foreign minister.

The eastern Mediterranean island was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded Cyprus's north in response to a Greek-backed coup. The two sides are debating a raft of complex issues ranging from property rights of displaced persons to power sharing, issues they have been unable to agree on for years.

Cyprus is represented in the European Union by a Greek Cypriot government that will not consent to Turkey joining the bloc unless there is a peace deal.

The EU has frozen part of Turkey's entry talks over Ankara's failure to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot traffic.

Pressure is mounting for a swift deal because Turkey's compliance with the port requirement will be assessed by the EU this year, and because elections in the Turkish Cypriot community are likely to dislodge moderates from power who are now negotiating a deal.

Business leaders of Greece, Turkey and the island's two communities called on Thursday for an agreement this year.

Downer was non-committal on the timing of a breakthrough. "We'll see…The important thing is to move the process forward as fast as is manageable."