At UN dinner, Cypriot leaders agree to meet again soon

(Reuters) - Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders met on Tuesday in New York for informal talks hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and agreed to meet again soon to discuss discuss "the way forward" on stalled reunification talks.

Cyprus was split decades ago in a Turkish invasion after a brief Greek-inspired coup, preceded by years of sporadic violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Reunification talks collapsed in mid-2017 and have been at a stalemate since.

At a dinner, Guterres encouraged Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar "to consider how to bridge the gap in their positions and rebuild trust to allow movement leading to a settlement," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"The leaders agreed to have an informal meeting in a broader format in the near future, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, to discuss the way forward," he added. "They also agreed to meet in Cyprus to explore the possibility of opening new crossings."

Christodoulides told the U.N. General Assembly last month that he was ready to immediately resume reunification talks.

A Turkish Cypriot breakaway state in northern Cyprus, backed only by Turkey, wants a two-state deal where its sovereignty is recognized. Greek Cypriots want reunification that would provide for a federation.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

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