Senior UN official to visit Cyprus to push peace process
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A United Nations spokesman says a UN undersecretary-general intends to visit Cyprus later this month to encourage the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders in revived reunification talks.
Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded in response to an Athens-backed coup to unite the island with Greece.
United Nations peacekeeping force spokesman Jose Luis Diaz says UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe plans to be in Cyprus on June 17. Diaz said Thursday the visit would aim to help "maintain the momentum in the peace process."
Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias agreed with the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Mehmet Ali Talat, in March to restart long-stalled reunification talks after a three-month preparatory period.