UN SC statement on Cyprus

The five permanent member states of the UN Security Council are close to an agreement regarding the presidential statement to be issued Thursday after the conclusion of a briefing on the Cyprus negotiations by UNSG’s Special Advisor for Cyprus Alexander Downer.

The P5 continued last night their consultations regarding the content of the presidential statement.

According to diplomatic sources, improvements have been recorded as regards the joint statements of the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus and the decoupling of the progress in the negotiations from any timeframes.

The P5 are expected to hold more consultations later today during which they will finalize the presidential statement paper, which will be later on presented to all members for approval.

Downer is expected to inform the P5 about the course of the Cyprus talks, which began early last September with a view to reunify Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.

According to UN sources, Downer will express the view that progress has been achieved at the negotiations and will ask the UNSC and others to maintain the momentum that would lead to a Cyprus solution.

He will also discuss with members of the UN Secretariat ways to contribute to the next phase of the negotiations by respecting the agreed principle that there should be no arbitration during the talks.

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have begun early September 2008 direct negotiations with a view to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem and reunify Cyprus, which has been divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.