The Special Representative of the Secretary General in Cyprus and Deputy Special Adviser, Elizabeth Spehar, who is currently in New York, briefed on Thursday the countries contributing to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) about the UN Secretary’s General report and the developments on the Cyprus issue. The briefing was short and there was no information on what has been discussed.
Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide is expected to arrive in New York in the weekend and on Tuesday July 18, to brief the UN Security Council and to consult with the UN Secretary General and Secretariat staff.
UNFICYP arrived in Cyprus in March 1964 after intercommunal fighting broke out. Since then, its size and mandate have changed, especially after the Turkish invasion of 1974.
The present report on UNFICYP covers developments from 16 December 2016 to 22 June 2017 and it also includes the latest developments in the negotiations.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern part. UN-backed talks that took place on June 28-July 7, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ended inconclusively. Peace talks aim to reunite Cyprus under a federal roof.
