NICOSIA — Rival Cypriot leaders on Wednesday decided to extend their second round of UN-led negotiations in a bid to achieve progress in a flagging effort to end 36 years of division on the Mediterranean island.

"They are not announcing anything today because they are meeting again on Friday," UN envoy Alexander Downer told reporters after Wednesday's lengthy discussions.

"There will be statements made at the end of this process which has been extended until Friday."

After three days of UN-led negotiations ended without progress on January 13, the onus was on this second series of intensive day-long talks to produce results.

But Downer would not comment on whether any progress was made after three more days of marathon sessions that began on Monday.

"There will be statements at the end of this process at the appropriate time in an appropriate way which will explain what has been happening," he said.

The Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot leaders say they are committed to finding a solution this year, while the United Nations is hoping 2010 will see a Cyprus settlement.

President Demetris Christofias, a Greek Cypriot, and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat are hoping to secure a much needed breakthrough after 16 months of sluggish negotiations.

The pair have been locked in discussions on governance and power sharing in a federal Cyprus. They have also aimed to "accelerate convergences" on the economy and EU issues.

Christofias has ruled out any draft agreement at this stage, as both the Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot sides are adamant that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

Any deal which emerges must be put before the Cypriot people in separate, simultaneous referendums.

The international community has called for the momentum of the negotiations to quicken, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon mulling a Cyprus visit as early as Sunday, according to local media.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have spoken to both leaders by telephone to give their encouragement.

The talks will need to be suspended soon to allow Talat to campaign in April's leadership elections in breakaway north Cyprus.

Peace talks were launched amid much optimism and fanfare in September 2008, but the two sides remain divided on the core issues of property, security and territorial adjustments.

by AFP