Nicosia optimistic on UN resolution

THE GREEK Cypriot side said yesterday that the initial draft of the UN Security Council resolution on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate appeared to be positive, but said it would be better to wait for the final document.

The Security Council resolution on the renewal of the mandate is expected to be approved today in New York.

“It would be better to wait for the final version before taking a position,” Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said. But he added that from what they knew, the initial draft was positive.

Initial consultations among Cyprus experts representing the five permanent members of the Council took place last week, during which they examined a draft text prepared by Britain.

Both the Greek Cypriot side and permanent members of the Security Council, however, have a number of amendments to the draft resolution, a Cyprus News Agency report from New York said.

Russia and China disagree with having the Council approve the UN Secretary-General’s report, as long as it contains a reference to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his report on UNFICYP: “It is regrettable that the ongoing debate on the lifting of the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots has become one about recognition.”

The government took exception to the reference, saying there was no such thing as Turkish Cypriot isolation. Consultations on the final draft of the resolution continued this week.

According to reports yesterday, although the other three permanent members of the Security Council, US, Britain and France, agreed with and wanted to adopt Ban’s entire report, it will not be passed with the offending reference.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.