UN SG’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elisabeth Spehar has said she had a good and useful meeting with President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades on Monday and that she looks forward to very important meetings in New York later this month.
In statements after being received b Anastasiades at the Presidential Palace, Spehar told reporters that “it was very good to see Mr Anastasiades and his colleagues. We had a good and useful meeting.”
This is the regular meeting that the UN official holds before flying to New York for the Security Council to present the reports of the Secretary General.
The UN Security Council will discuss the Cyprus issue on July 21st, according to the Permanent Representative of France at the UN, Nicolas de Rivière last week. He also said that the agenda includes the renewal of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) mandate.
Spehar departs from Cyprus over the weekend to speak with UN officials in Washington, then she will travel to New York.
“I will also brief the troop contributing countries that provide the troops and police officers to UNFICYP. I was also recently in Moscow to talk with Russian officials so I have been in touch with the five Permanent Members of the Security Council and I look forward to some very important and good meetings in New York also with my senior colleagues in the UN Secretariat,” she added.
Spehar expressed her “sincere condolences to everyone, to all Cypriots and particularly to those affected, for the terrible wildfires” over the weekend. “It was very shocking to see all of the devastation and very sad and on behalf of the UN I really express my condolences for the loss of life particularly, but also for the loss of property and for the losses in terms of Cyprus’ beautiful forest lands,” she added.
Spehar also said it will be very difficult to recover from this tragedy, adding “the UN stands in solidarity with Cyprus and if we can assist in any way we shall do so.”
To a question if the Cyprus problem has not yet been resolved due to the policy of equal distances between the occupation power (Turkey) and the Republic of Cyprus, Spehar replied “it is really up to the parties to solve the Cyprus problem and we are here to assist.”
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.