Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-04-18

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] UN SC - CYPRUS

[02] BRITISH MP - CYPRUS

[01] UN SC - CYPRUS

In a statement adopted during an open session after the Security Council was briefed on the results of meetings in Cyprus by UN Undersecretary General Lynn Pascoe, and was read by South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, the current council president, the Security Council ``warmly welcomes the agreement reached on 21 March 2008 by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders and commends them for the political leadership they have shown.``

Cyprus Permanent Representative to the UN, Andreas Mavroyiannis said the Government of the Republic welcomes the adoption of the Presidential Statement following the briefing by Lynn Pascoe the USG for Political affairs after his visit to Cyprus and to the region.

Noting that the Security Council expressed its full support to the efforts towards a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus drawing from the existing momentum in the current juncture Mavroyiannis added: We are very happy that the Council has set out very clearly the parameters of the sought after solution and the expectations of the Council from the Mission of Good offices of the Secretary General as well as its readiness to help and assist the Secretary-General and his Mission of Good offices and we welcome this commitment by the Security Council.

In his statement UK Permanent Representative Sir John Sawers said that whole Council has been encouraged by recent developments and by the report that we received back from USG Pascoe from his visit to the region, the Agreement of 21st of March followed by the measure of re-opening the Ledras street crossing that has boosted confidence on all sides.

He expressed the belief that it is a measure of political will of the two leaders on the island and we commend them for that.

He further said that theres a lot of work still to be done, noting that this issue, the solution to the division of Cyprus has eluded us for four decades. However, he said, there is a real opportunity now to take this forward and we in the United Nations Security Council and the United nations Secretariat, the Secretary-General will do all we can to take this forward and to seize this particular opportunity.

Asked how the UK as a guarantor power can encourage the parties to move forward Sir John noted the recent visit to Cyprus by the Prime Ministers Special Representative for Cyprus Joan Ryan, who too has reported back on the favorable developments.

She will remain engaged as a national representative and our High Commissioner on the island and our Ministers generally will be in support of this process. Certainly as far as I am concerned here at the United Nations we will continue to support an active role for the UN Secretary-General and his Good Offices Mission and I think that the signs are positive here that we can actually make progress on this and we will do everything we can to achieve that, Sir John concluded.

In its statement the Security Council ``is encouraged by the launch of the working groups and the technical committees that will prepare the ground for the start of fully fledged negotiations, in a spirit of good faith, on a comprehensive and durable settlement under the auspices of the Secretary General`s Good Offices Mission``.

It adds that ``the Security Council looks forward to the results of this preparatory process within the three-month timeline agreed by the two leaders, which it is hoped to build trust, momentum and a sense of common interest in the search for a just and lasting solution.``

The UN SC further welcomes the opening of the Ledra Street crossing, as an indication of political will to tackle issues that have obstructed progress, and an important signal that both sides seek to improve the lives of all Cypriots, noting it looks forward to further such confidence building measures.

The statement says ``the Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the reunification of Cyprus based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation and political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions, and its willingness to support the efforts of the Secretary General to this end.``

``In this context, the Security Council welcomes the readiness of the Secretary General to assist the parties in Cyprus, and further welcomes the prospect of the appointment, after the completion of the preparatory period and based on progress, of a Special Advisor to facilitate movement towards a comprehensive settlement,`` according to the statement.

The Security Council ``welcomes the appointment of Tay-Brook Zerihoun as his new Special Representative to Cyprus, and expresses its appreciation for the work of the previous Special Representative, Michael Moller,`` the statement concludes.

The UN SC statement comes as joint Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot working groups and technical committees begin work today, to prepare the ground for substantive negotiations with a view to find a negotiated settlement that would reunite Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

[02] BRITISH MP - CYPRUS

The British official expressed hope for a settlement of the Cyprus problem the soonest possible. ``I would like to express my best wishes that the Cyprus problem will be solved in the future and as soon as possible,`` he said.

``Really I have learned a lot about Cyprus and the Cyprus problem. All this information I will take with me and share it,`` he added

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