UN SC urges Cyprus leaders to increase momentum in negotiations

The UN Security Council commends the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders for the political leadership they have shown and warmly welcomes the progress made so far in the fully-fledged negotiations, and the leaders’ joint statements.

The UNSC, which was informed today by UNSG's Special Advisor for Cyprus, Alexander Downer, on the course of the Cyprus negotiations,
agreed on the final draf presidential statement, expected to be adopted later today, in which it states that the Security Council strongly urges the leaders to increase the momentum in the negotiations to ensure the full exploitation of this opportunity to reach a comprehensive settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions.

The Security Council emphasises the importance of all parties engaging fully, flexibly and constructively and looks forward to decisive progress in the negotiations in the near future.

It also recognises that a solution requires the support of both sides and will require the approval of both communities in separate and simultaneous referenda. In this context, the Security Council fully supports the Secretary-General's Good Offices Mission and encourages the SG's Special Adviser to continue to offer the leaders any support they need to achieve a settlement.

The Security Council reiterates its full support for the process and underlines the benefits that reunification will bring to the Island.

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.