Draft text for Unficyp mandate renewal expected Wednesday

On Wednesday morning the Security Council will put forth a draft text for Unficyp’s mandate, and if there are no objections the text will be finalised and voted on on Thursday.

Consultations of Security Council members were completed on Monday afternoon, concluding the diplomatic backdrop ahead of the vote.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides spoke to his British counterpart Dominic Raab on the phone, in which the vote was discussed.

According to a diplomatic source in New York, and reported by CNA, the draft text has been dramatically improved but cannot be published yet – which China requested for technical reasons.

Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute is expected to speak with President Nicos Anastasiades on the phone within the next two days.

According to CNA, the move was initiated by Lute.

Earlier this month UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recommended the extension of the UN peace-keeping force’s mandate for six more months, until July 31, 2020.

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