UN chief says prospects for Cyprus settlement 'remain alive'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he believes prospects for a comprehensive settlement that will reunify Cyprus "remain alive" and he will prepare the way for negotiations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots to resume.

Guterres said in a report to the U.N. Security Council circulated Tuesday that both Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have said they are ready to resume talks.

Numerous rounds of negotiations over more than four decades have failed. In early July, Guterres asked senior U.N. official Jane Holl Lute to sound out all sides, and in late September he met separately with Anastasiades and Akinci.

Guterres said the way ahead "must be well prepared, with a sense of urgency and focus to seize the willingness of the two sides to negotiate."