PRESS STATEMENT ON CYPRUS BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the text of today’s press statement on Cyprus by the President of the Security Council, Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):

The members of the Council heard on 4 April 2002 a further interim report from Alvaro de Soto, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, concerning the direct talks on Cyprus between the two leaders.  They took note that this briefing was part of the review being conducted by the Secretary-General at approximately the half-way point between the opening of the face-to-face negotiations in January and the target date of June for agreement, referred to by each of the two leaders.

The members of the Council continued to give their full support to the negotiating process undertaken by the two leaders pursuant to their agreement of

4 December 2001; and to the spirit of cooperation shown by their involvement in the process.  But they expressed concern that progress was slow and that a great deal of ground remained to be covered for the June target date for agreement, which the Council again strongly endorsed, to be met.  In that context they urged the leaders to intensify their negotiations in the period ahead and to bring to them the urgency, political determination, flexibility and spirit of give and take needed for differences to be resolved.  In particular, they urged the two leaders to focus without delay on narrowing the differences between them on all issues that must be resolved, as part of a comprehensive settlement which takes full consideration of relevant United Nations resolutions and treaties.

The members of the Council reiterated their full support for the Secretary-General’s mission entrusted to him by the Council in its resolution 1250.  They called upon the parties to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General and his Special Adviser, and to look to them for assistance in order to move forward on the substance.

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