Cyprus peace talks collapsed this morning leading to the UN announcing the end of its long efforts to reunite Greeks and Turks before the island accedes to the European Union next year.
In a bitter personal blow to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and a major setback for Turkey's hopes of joining the EU, the talks foundered mainly on minority Turkish Cypriots' opposition to land and population movements they were asked to make in the deal.
"Regrettably these [peace] efforts were not a success. We have reached the end of the road," said a statement by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Mr Annan's special Cyprus envoy, Mr Alvara de Soto, read out the statement at a news conference after talks held by the secretary general with Greek Cypriot leader Mr Tassos Papadopoulos and veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Rauf Denktash.
Mr Annan said the 18-month-old office set up by Mr de Soto in Nicosia to support the UN peace effort would close.
UN peacekeepers who have long policed the border between the two communities along the so-called "Green Line" would stay.
Cyprus has been partitioned since Turkish troops invaded in 1974, seizing the northern one-third of the island in response to a coup by Greek Cypriots seeking union with Greece.
Mr Annan had called the two leaders to The Hague in a bid to get agreement on a deal that has been on the table since last November.
He had hoped to persuade them to hold referendums on the plan on March 30th so that a united Cyprus could sign an April 16th accession treaty, a prelude to joining the EU.