Nicosia - Initial optimism from earlier this year that one of the world's most unmanageable conflicts might finally be solved has waned in Cyprus as peace talks failed to produce a breakthrough in 2008.

The only tangible outcome following the weekly meetings between Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat has been the realization that a long road still lies ahead of any breakthrough, despite the enthusiasm that greeted a new round peace talks in September following a four-year stalemate.

Nicosia - Seven refugees from Pakistan were injured over night in a explosion in a minefield in the buffer zone between Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot south, local media reported Friday.

One person was in serious condition, according to the southern Cyprus state radio citing medical personnel at a hospital in the port city of Larnaka.

Another 13 refugees managed to cross the minefield unscathed to reach the Greek Cypriot side of the island.

The refugees said they had arrived in northern Cyprus by ferry from Syria and wanted to enter the European Union via southern Cyprus. The southern half of the island has been an EU member since 2004.

Athens/Nicosia - A Danish air force plane with Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller on board made an emergency landing Thursday at a small airport of the Cypriot coastal city of Paphos.

The semi-official Cypriot agency CNA said the plane landed safely after the pilot requested to make an emergency landing, realising that there was a crack in the cockpit window.

Reports said the plane landed safely and none of the passengers, including the minister, was injured.

Nicosia, Nov 18 - The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has formally approved the feasibility report submitted by ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and its consortium partners on the discovery made in Iran''s Farsi offshore block, which covers an area of 3,5000 sq km.

The feasibility report was submitted by OVL and its partners - the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Oil India Ltd last December.

Following this development, the consortium of Indian companies led by OVL, can now work towards the development of the gas field. Iran follows a bidding mechanism for giving development rights.

Nicosia  - The political leadership of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots on Monday held talks in a "good climate" on Monday, said UN special envoy Alexander Downer.

Downer added that the two will again meet for talks on reunifying the divided Mediterranean island on November 25.

Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias spoke with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat on topics related to the justice system and supreme court on Monday, Downer said on Cypriot broadcaster RIK.

Athens/Nicosia - Efforts to reunify the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus are expected to continue by leaders from both communities well into 2009, a UN envoy said Thursday.

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders launched a new round of peace talks in September and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat had said he hoped a breakthrough could be found by the end of the year.

Peace talks were deadlocked after former president Tassos Papadopoulos led the Greek-Cypriot rejection of a UN reunification plan in a 2004 referendum. Turkish Cypriots had overwhelmingly voted in favour.