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UN:
SECRETARY-GENERAL LAMENTS LACK OF PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING CYPRUS
AGREEMENT: 10/12/2007 (MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network /
- 10 December 2007 --
The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides
have made no progress in the past six months in implementing the July 2006
agreement aimed at establishing the framework for a political process so that
full-fledged negotiations on solving the Cyprus problem can begin,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.
In his
latest report to the Security Council on the work of the UN peacekeeping force
in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Mr. Ban writes that the leaders of the two communities
continue to publicly endorse the agreement’s principles that a settlement must
be based “on a bi-zonal, bicommunal federation and political equality,” but
that “a lack of political will to fully engage” was preventing any tangible
progress.
“All
parties need to show greater flexibility and greater political courage,” he
states, describing a September meeting of the leaders that did not produce any
concrete results as “a lost opportunity.”
Mr. Ban
stresses that only sustained political will from Cypriots, translated into real
action, will lead to a settlement, and to that end he urges the people of the
island to become more actively involved in civil society.
The
Secretary-General also states that “it is regrettable that the ongoing debate
on the lifting of the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots has become a debate on
recognition. Recognition, or assisting secession, would be contrary to the
resolutions of the Security Council.
“Rather,
the objective should be to engender greater economic and social parity between
the sides by further promoting the development of the Turkish Cypriot community,
so that the reunification of the island may occur in as seamless a manner as
possible.”
In
addition, Mr. Ban welcomes the recent work of the Committee on Missing Persons
– which is tasked with identifying the remains of missing persons and
returning those remains to the families concerned – “towards the resolution
of one of the most painful aspects of the Cyprus problem.”
Given
the general situation, the Secretary-General recommends that the mandate of
UNIFCYP be extended for another six months, until 15 June next year. The mission
is deployed on the Mediterranean island to supervise ceasefire lines, maintain a
buffer zone and undertake humanitarian activities.
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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