Spehar meets leaders ahead of UNFICYP mandate renewal

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar held tête-à-têtes with the leaders of the two communities on Wednesday morning ahead of the Security Council’s upcoming vote on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate.

Spehar met with President Anastasiades at 9am and with the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar at 11.30am, to collect views on the island’s peacekeeping force but also on the informal five-party meeting to be held in New York in February, before briefing the UN Security Council next week.

Deputy government spokesperson Panayiotis Sentonas told press that Anastasiades and Spehar discussed the latest developments in the Cyprus Problem.

Both leaders also met with the USNG’s special envoy, Jane Holl Lute, on Monday, as the groundwork continues to be laid for the convening of the five-party informal summit where the positions of both sides are expected to be clarified.

Unofficial draft copies of the draft reports issued by UNSG Antonio Guterres on his Good Offices mission in Cyprus and on UNFICYP state that Guterres will likely suggest the renewal of the peacekeeping force’s mandate for another six months, and is also intending on following through with the five-party summit, but recognises the growing scepticism developing among both communities on whether conditions are ripe for any formal resumption of peace talks.