GENEVA (AP) — The leaders of Cyprus have begun a second day of talks aimed at reunifying the island split along ethnic Greek and Turkish lines, addressing issues of how power could be shared, ties with the European Union and economic matters.

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci were meeting at U.N. offices in Geneva before the talks take an international turn, with the arrival of British, Greek and Turkish leaders on Thursday.

Anastasiades said Tuesday on his way in that "we are here to work intensely, with the hope that the talks will be productive and we will reach positive results."

Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkey sent in troops in the wake of a Greek-backed coup that aimed to unite the island with Greece. </s> The last round of peace talks took place in Switzerland in November. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Rival Cypriot leaders resume UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva on Monday billed as a historic opportunity to end decades of conflict on the divided island, but the outcome is far from certain.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, who have negotiated for more than 18 months in the run-up to the talks, have been among the most outspoken proponents of a deal.

But both acknowledge key issues still need to be thrashed out, with the prospects of solving one of the world's longest-running geopolitical disputes remaining murky.

The United Nations has pulled out all the stops in its bid for a deal, eyeing the best chance of a settlement in more than a decade.

"It is a real possibility that 2017 will be the year when the Cypriots, themselves, freely decide to turn the page of history," said UN envoy Espen Barth Eide, who will receive the two leaders from around 8.45 am (0745 GMT).

On the eve of the talks, Greek and Turkish residents gathered in Nicosia to hear musicians from both sides perform at a "Countdown to Peace" concert, with the setlist including The Beatles' "Come Together".

"We are ready. So we send a message to our leaders, to the whole world, that we, the people of this island, we can live together," said Marilena Evangelou, chief editor of the online edition of Politis, one of several media outlets that organised the concert.

But some experts believe the Geneva talks are a disaster waiting to happen because of deep divisions on core issues such as property, territorial adjustments and security.

Leaving for Geneva on Sunday, Akinci described the talks as a "crossroads".

"We are not at a point where Geneva will mark the final conclusion. We need to be cautious," he said.

And Anastasiades tweeted that he was heading to the talks "with hope, confidence and unity" after earlier striking a note of caution, warning of "significant differences on substantive issues fundamental to a Cyprus solution".

Cyprus, home to around one million people, has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the island in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece.

Nine years later, Turkish Cypriot leaders declared a breakaway state in the north which is recognised only by Ankara.

The years of communal violence, which culminated in the Turkish invasion, saw tens of thousands from both sides flee their homes -- and they remain displaced to this day.

It has always been agreed that some of the territory currently controlled by the Turkish Cypriots will be ceded to Greek Cypriot control in any peace deal.

Just how much and which land they should give up has hampered four decades of talks.

The issue is vital because the two leaders have pledged to put any deal to the vote in their respective communities.

In 2004, a majority of Turkish Cypriots backed a UN reunification plan but it was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.

The sides also remain far apart on how many Greek Cypriots should be able to return to homes they fled in 1974, with Akinci determined to minimise the number of Turkish Cypriots who would be displaced for a second time.

And there are differences over security arrangements with Anastasiades wanting Turkish troops to leave the island but Akinci determined to keep a military presence.

Akinci also insists on a rotating presidency with a Turkish Cypriot elected every two years -- a proposal unpopular among Greek Cypriots.

The two sides will on Wednesday provide maps of their proposals for the internal boundaries of a future bi-zonal federation.

If that goes to plan, they will be joined from Thursday by the leaders of the island's three guarantor powers -- former colonial ruler Britain, Greece and Turkey.

Hubert Faustmann, a history and political science professor at the University of Nicosia, said he believed the talks would be a stepping stone.

"I expect neither a success nor a failure but the beginning of a series of final round talks under the participation of the guarantor powers with 'observers' invited from the EU and Security Council," he told AFP. </s> Direct talks take place today in Geneva between Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı in what have been called “the best and last chance” to achieve a settlement of the decades long conflict which has divided the island nation.

The direct talks between Anastasiades and Akıncı are preparatory for a formal conference commencing in Geneva on 12th January 2017, which will bring not only these two leaders together but also the so-called “guarantor powers” – Greece, Turkey and Britain.

Britain is participating in the talks as Cyprus’s former colonial power and as one of the guarantors of Cyprus’s independence and territorial integrity following Cyprus’s 1950s independence war against Britain.

The talks between Anastasiades and Akıncı are the first direct talks between the leaders of Cyprus’s Greek and Turkish communities in 43 years – since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974. Supposedly they will be poring over maps and discussing territorial trade-offs before discussing the central issue of security.

The ultimate plan is to agree some of federation that will bring together the two parts of the island, ending one of Europe’s and the world’s most intractable conflicts.

There are many obstacles in the way of a settlement, and a final agreement is far from guaranteed. However there does seem to be a serious effort underway to seek a solution.

All the parties have strong reasons to seek a settlement, though not it should be stressed at any price, ensuring that the negotiations which lie ahead will be long and hard.

In the case of Turkey, which is facing multiple crises in its relations with Syria, Iraq and the US, which is struggling against terrorist campaigns launched against it by ISIS and the Kurds, and which is looking at the early stages of a possible economic crisis, settlement of the Cyprus conflict would not only be a success for President Erdogan but would mean that his government has one less problem to deal with.

In the case of Greece, a settlement of the Cyprus conflict would at last provide the otherwise disastrous Syriza government of Alexis Tsipras with a success.

For the people of Cyprus, divided from each other for 43 years, it would finally end the division of their island and their country, and bring them peace.
The leaders of northern and southern Cyprus meet in Switzerland to restart talks about reuniting the island.