UN official conveys support for CBMs after meeting with President Anastasiades

The Security Council is very supportive of Confidence Building Measures, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, told the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, during a meeting at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday morning. Referring to the issue of appointing a UN Secretary General's envoy, however, there is no agreement between the sides on the terms of his mandate, he said.

In statements after the meeting, Stewart said he had an excellent meeting with President Anastasiades, with whom he discussed the Security Council briefing, his meeting with the UN Secretary-General in New York, the Security Council resolution and his meetings in the US.

Asked whether the President`s proposals on Confidence Building Measures were discussed during the meeting, Stewart replied that the President "mentioned it and remains enthusiastic about it. I told him that the Security Council is very supportive of measures that can bring the two sides together and can increase inter-communal contact," stressing that the UN is very supportive of any kind of CBMs that can impact people`s lives.

In addition, he said that "I have had the pleasure of working with the representatives of the two leaders and the technical committees, that are actually doing very important and very good work that impacts people`s lives, as we have seen recently on COVID," adding that "there is a lot that can be done to build conditions conducive to a settlement, even as we at the same time try to find the way for a settlement."

In response to another question, Stewart said he would not convey a message to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar during their meeting later today, adding that Tatar was aware of the President`s proposals, and noted that the United Nations welcomes any CBMs that contribute to more bicommunal cooperation.