Officials May Let U.N. Complete Cyprus Plan

Turkey took another step toward a possible Cyprus peace deal by expressing willingness to let U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan bridge any final gaps in a blueprint for reuniting the divided Mediterranean island.

In what could be a major advance in the 30-year dispute, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after talks with Annan in Switzerland that Turkey could consent to the U.N. chief’s “filling in the blanks” on unresolved issues in final negotiations.

Outstanding issues include the exact split of territory between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, settlement of refugees and a Greek and Turkish military presence after reunification.