Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis carries out contacts in New York in a bid to support the Cypriot permanent representation to the UN in view of the Secretary-General’s report on the UN Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the ensuing vote to the Security Council for the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate in end-June.
 
The UNSG’s report is expected to be issued on July 10 while the UNSC monthly programme of work will be announced on Monday by Peru, the holder of the Council’s presidency.
 
Based on the preliminary schedule, the SC will hold a meeting with countries providing staff to UNFICYP and on July 19 UN SG Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar will brief the Council which is expected to convene on July 30 to adopt the resolution in a public session. The Council’s open session may be held earlier on July 24.
 
Mavroyiannis, in New York since last Monday, has so far met with the majority of the UNSC members, officials from the UN Secretariat as well as Antonio Guterres advisor and envoy Jane Hall Lute.
 
Diplomatic sources said that Lute has not decided on her next moves, as she will await for the completion of the snap elections in Greece scheduled for July 7.
 
The same sources said that both the Secretariat and UNSC members have received positively Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades’s two letters to the UN chief, where he outlines his readiness to return to the UN-brokered talks which broke down in July 2017 in the Crans Montana, Switzerland.
 
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied 37 per cent of its territory.

CNA