NEW YORK, 18 July 2017 – The UN Security Council continues to show very strong support for the Cypriot communities on the island, and for a better future for all Cypriots, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Cyprus and Head of UNFICYP, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, told the media following a briefing to the Council on the situation in Cyprus on 18 July.

“They in particular expressed support for the work of UNFICYP in terms of maintaining stability and calm in the buffer zone, and supporting a return to normal conditions in Cyprus, including through the mission’s inter-communal work,” said Ms. Spehar, who briefed the Council with the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General (SASG) on Cyprus, Mr. Espen Barth Eide.

SRSG Spehar also noted that a number of Council Members had expressed their interest and desire to see a review of UNFICYP’s operations on the ground, something the mission had taken careful note of. 

In his remarks at the media stakeout, SASG Eide urged all sides to work collectively and to build on the achievements thus far, despite the closure of the Conference on Cyprus without an agreement. He highlighted that the UN would always remain available and at the disposal of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders to facilitate the process, noting that the talks are led by the leaders and owned by them.

Also speaking to the media following the briefing, Mr. Liu Jieyi, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, said the Council “expressed their intention to renew the mandate of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus for a further six months.”

SRSG Spehar relayed “the gratitude of UNFICYP as well as the rest of us from the UN in Cyprus for the Council’s continuing unanimous support for our work on the ground."