The UN reiterated on Thursday that the UN-sponsored talks over a Cyprus settlement are in a “critical juncture.”

Replyling to a question, Stephane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-General`s Spokesperson, refrained from commenting on remarks attributed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey would annex the northern side of the island (which it occupies since 1974) if no solution is reached.

Echoing UN Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon`s remarks, while opening the intensive round of talks in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland last Monday, that the talks are in a critical juncture, Durajicc said he is not “going to start picking on comments made from various sides.”

“We will hear from the parties in Switzerland when they are ready to speak, but we are, as we are being saying, in a critical juncture,” Dujarric said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Replying to a question, Dujarric said there is no hard deadline.

“I think the Secretary-General has expressed a wish to see this done by, at least move forward significantly by the end of the year and we continue in that direction,” he concluded.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. President Anastasiades and Mustafa kinci have been engaged in UN-led negotiations since May last year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.