Statements by the Government Spokesman – UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus
The Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou made yesterday the following statement to the press: “When the UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-Moon expressed his wish to visit Cyprus, the Government rightly noted that he is welcomed. We had said that the Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus constituted proof that the Cyprus problem was high in the priorities of the international organisation and that the Cyprus problem was an international problem, for the solution of which the international organisation worked on the basis of its Resolutions. As Government we had cared for, in deliberation with the General Secretariat of the international organisation, so that this visit would reaffirm the role of the Secretary-General in the efforts to achieve a solution, as this role is defined by the framework of the good offices mission. Our assessment is that the UN Secretary-General’s visit was successful and gave an impetus to the efforts for a solution. The visit reaffirmed that the Secretary-General and the United Nations do not play the role of a mediator or an arbitrator, but they support and facilitate the efforts to achieve a solution. The Cypriot ownership of the process was also reaffirmed; which means that the Cypriots shape the content of the solution with the international community supporting and assisting these efforts. The reports and statements made before the arrival of the Secretary-General about the alleged signing of an interim or an initial agreement proved unfounded. -03.02.2010
