NICOSIA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- A three-member Elders group including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday to boost the renewed effort to reunify the divided island.

    The three members of the Elders, a group formed by former South African President Nelson Mandela, met with dozens of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth in the UN buffer zone, with the belief that the young generation from the two rival communities will contribute a lot to the peace process.

    "It is very important for all the people who live here to know that the rest of the world is pulling for you, for finding an accommodation between both communities on this island so that you can live in peace with freedom, democracy, equal treatment among all people and a proper adjustment for the mistakes that have been made in the past." Carter told reporters before their meeting with the young people.

    Describing the ongoing talks as "challenging but promising", Carter emphasized they would not be involved in the negotiations, but to lend their support and draw the world's attention to the relaunched reunification process.

    "We have come to give encouragement to the initiative and the very courageous steps that the leaders of the two communities are taking," said the anti-apartheid Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

    Cypriot president and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias launched substantive reunification talks earlier September with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Both are considered as pro-settlement politicians, after long time stalemate in the Cyprus issue since a UN blueprint failed to gain the support of Greek Cypriots in 2004.

    Later on Wednesday, the three veterans held a meeting with political party and civil society representatives from both communities. They will also meet Christofias and Talat separately during their two-day visit.

    Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 when the Turkish military intervened and occupied the north of the island following a coup by a group of Greek officers.

    In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot authorities declared the establishment of the breakaway "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which is recognized only by Turkey.

    For several decades, the UN has continuously worked to persuade the two communities to find a solution to the Cyprus issue, which is also a main obstacle to Turkey's bid for European Union membership.