UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held “focused and frank” informal talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the leader of the Turkish-occupied north Mustafa Akinci in Berlin on Monday in order to “take stock of efforts” to finally reach a settlement over the divided Mediterranean island.

“Both leaders welcomed my engagement and reaffirmed to me their commitment and determination to achieve a settlement based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions,” Guterres said in a statement after the talks.

Guterres said he agreed to “explore with the Turkish Cypriot leader and the Greek Cypriot leader and with the Guarantor powers, the possibility to convene an informal five-plus-UN meeting at an appropriate stage.”

He said that believes the two leaders are “motivated by a sense of urgency” and agreed “that achieving a comprehensive and durable settlement to the Cyprus problem within a foreseeable horizon is of utmost importance to the future well-being of both communities and that the status quo is unsustainable.”