The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Colin Stewart, is set to meet with the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at 10 a.m., as he prepares to leave his post due to retirement.
In a recent interview with the UN’s official website, UN News, Mr Stewart said, “We are at a somewhat critical moment for Cyprus due to the upcoming elections in the north and other dynamics,” describing last month’s informal expanded meeting in New York as “an important step.”
He noted that “the intention was to maintain a process and momentum, and I believe we succeeded in that.”
Regarding the Secretary-General’s good offices mission to support a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue, Mr Stewart stated that “the biggest obstacle is not public sentiment but political will.”
“Relations between people are good,” he said, noting that “millions cross from one side to the other every year without any incidents. But among political leaders, there is such deep mistrust that even the idea of compromise is viewed negatively,” he added.
Reflecting on his tenure in Cyprus, Mr Stewart highlighted UNFICYP’s day-to-day role in de-escalating tensions before they have a chance to flare up.
Source: CNA
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