Turkish Cypriots in the north of the divided island celebrated independence today, while Greek Cypriots protested in the internationally-recognised south.

European Union ambassadors have failed to find a breakthrough on a joint negotiating position for Turkey’s membership talks and could not agree on a common response to Ankara’s refusal to recognise EU member Cyprus.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan handed Greek, Turkish and Cypriot officials his final plan for the reunification of Cyprus, stressing that “the time for decision and action has arrived”.