A United Nations envoy today said significant progress had been made in peace talks to end Cyprus's long-running division, with the sides committed to a deal this year. <br/><br/>Tensions over the eastern Mediterranean island, split since a brief Athens-inspired coup in 1974 triggered a Turkish invasion, have at times brought NATO members Greece and Turkey to the brink of war.<br/><br/>Espen Barth Eide, the United Nations special representative to the Cyprus conflict, read a joint statement on behalf of Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades after talks aimed at reuniting the island. <br/><br/>Eide said, the two leaders are committed to continuing and intensifying their efforts in the coming months with the aim of reaching a comprehensive settlement within 2016. He said, differences on some issues still persisted.<br/><br/>Eide said the two would meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the 25th of this month for further consultations.