UN Hopes New Special Representative To Visit Cyprus Soon

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th November, 2021) The United Nations will focus on getting the newly-appointed Special Representative and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Colin Stewart of Canada to visit the island as soon as possible, UN Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary General Farhan Haq said.

"We are trying to get (Stewart) on the ground as soon as we can," Haq told journalists during a UN press briefing on Friday.

The deputy spokesperson noted that in his previous positions, Stewart was open to talking to the press and if possible the UN will be happy to set up a press conference with him.

Stewart was appointed as special representative by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday and succeeded Elizabeth Spehar of Canada.

Before being appointed as special representative to Cyprus, Stewart served as the special representative of the secretary general and head of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. He has over 28 years of experience in peace, security and international affairs.

The UNFICYP was established in Cyprus in 1964 as a means to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. Amid inabilities to resolve the Cyprus problem, UNFICYP remains on the island and supervises ceasefire lines and maintains a buffer zone.