UN's Ban issues report on Cyprus
03/12/2009
NEW YORK, United States -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a report Wednesday (December 2nd) that direct talks in Nicosia to reunify Cyprus are making progress but have not yet entered the most difficult phase. The document stressed that while both sides are taking a constructive part in the dialogue, some thorny topics must still be addressed and differences will occur. Ban encouraged leaders of both the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities to demonstrate realism, noting that the negotiating process requires decisive and patient approaches. He also urged members of the UN Security Council to approve an extension of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus by another six months, until next June. (UN News Centre, BTA - 02/12/09)