The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have confirmed a newspaper report which claimed that the Australian Government has sent an assessors to Cyprus in order to examine and evaluate the work done by the 15 man police team stationed in Cyprus that form part of the UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP). The evaluation was requested by the Ministry of Finance and will be completed by December 31, 2012. Then, when the country’s annual budget is decided, during the first half of 2013, it will also determine “the size and nature of the Australian police presence in Cyprus.” The assessment forms part of a wider effort aimed at reducing costs by the government, however, should the decision be made by Australia to limit their police presence in Cyprus it may be interpreted by the global community as a reduction in the importance of the Cyprus Issue.
Cyprus Weekly
