Cyprus has historic chance to heal the division-EU

The European Commission urged estranged Cypriots on Thursday to seize a "historic chance" to reunite their island, split by a conflict spanning decades and troubling Turkey's bid to join the EU.

"The time is now. Do not allow a situation where the younger generation will simply accept the status quo," EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.

"There is a historic chance now to end this conflict once and for all," he told journalists on a whistle-stop visit to the island, a member of the European Union since 2004.

Cyprus, divided between its ethnic Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, is a key obstacle in Turkey's chances of joining the European Union.

The Mediterranean island was effectively partitioned in a Turkish invasion in 1974 in response to a brief Greek-inspired coup. Its government-controlled south represents Cyprus in the EU, with the north a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognised only by Ankara.

Cyprus's internationally recognised Greek Cypriots say they will never allow Turkey to join the bloc as long as the island is partitioned. Ankara's EU membership talks, which started in Oct. 2005, have been partially frozen because of the situation on the island.

Turkey's progress in membership talks will be assessed later this year.

Greek and Turkish Cypriot community leaders launched peace talks last year, but progress has been slow.

Barroso said the EU Commission was ready to help and support a deal on Cyprus, but said: "We cannot make the deal…it is up to the Cypriots themselves to find a solution."

Cyprus has said it will support Barroso's re-election bid for a second five-year term for the EU Commission presidency.