United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has recommended that the Security Council extend the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for another six months, as he considers its presence on the island "essential to the maintenance of the cease-fire between the two sides".
In his report on UNFICYP to the Security Council, covering the period between November 28, 2001 to May 29, 2002, the UN Head makes a brief reference to direct talks between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, launched in January with a view to solve the Cyprus problem, according to Cyprus News Agency on Monday.
Annan also noted his visit to the island in mid-May was, "to discuss with the two leaders ways in which they could move forward more effectively and to express my willingness to help them reach the goal they had set out to achieve at the end of last year". (Albawaba.com)
