PRESS STATEMENT ON CYPRUS BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

PRESS STATEMENT ON CYPRUS BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the text of today’s press statement on Cyprus by Jeremy Greenstock (United Kingdom), President of the Security Council:

The members of the Security Council heard on 9 July a further briefing from Alvaro de Soto, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, concerning the direct talks in Cyprus between the two leaders which have been in progress since January, pursuant to their agreement on 4 December 2001.  They reviewed the whole process since the talks began on 16 January 2002.

The members of the Council welcomed the support given to the talks and to the Secretary-General's efforts by the heads of State and government of the European Union meeting in Seville on 21-22 June and by the Foreign Ministers of the G-8 on 13 June.

The members of the Council expressed disappointment that, despite the Secretary-General's valuable personal involvement, including when he visited the island in May, progress remained disappointingly slow and the June target date for agreement had not been met.  They noted in this regard that the Turkish Cypriot side had been less constructive in its approach so far, and had declined to support the goal of resolving the core issues by the end of June.  They also noted with regret that the call by the members of the Council on 2 May that the UN should play a fuller part in the talks had not yet received the requisite response; and the members reiterated that call.

The members of the Council endorsed the intention to continue the present talks process on the island for a further period, in pursuance of the mission entrusted to the Secretary-General by the Council in its resolution 1250.  They urged both sides to cooperate fully in such an effort and in particular to work with the Secretary-General's Special Adviser so as to enable him to establish the component parts of a comprehensive settlement which takes full consideration of relevant Security Council resolutions and treaties.  They strongly underscored the need for the Turkish side in particular to move in this direction.

The members of the Council invited the Secretary-General to give it a further report in early September.

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