Security Council members voice disappointment at slow progress in Cyprus talks

Following a briefing by a senior United Nations envoy on the ongoing Cyprus talks, the members of the Security Council today expressed disappointment that, despite the personal involvement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, including his visit to the island in May, progress remained "disappointingly slow" and the June target date for agreement had not been met.

Council members "noted in this regard that the Turkish Cypriot side had been less constructive in its approach so far and had declined to support the goal of resolving the core issues by the end of June," the current President of the 15-member body, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom, said in a statement to the press.

"They also noted with regret that the call by the members of the Council on 2 May that the UN should play a fuller part in the talks had not yet received the requisite response; and the members reiterated that call," he said, adding that Council members invited the Secretary-General to give them a further report in early September.

The statement by Ambassador Greenstock came after Alvaro de Soto, Mr. Annan's Special Adviser on Cyprus, briefed the Council on Tuesday on the direct talks between the two leaders, which began on 16 January.

According to the statement, Council members endorsed the intention to continue the present talks process on the island for a further period, in pursuance of the mission entrusted to the Secretary-General by the Council in its resolution 1250.

They also urged both sides "to cooperate fully in such an effort and in particular to work with the Secretary-General's Special Adviser so as to enable him to establish the component parts of a comprehensive settlement which takes full consideration of relevant Security Council resolutions and treaties," the statement said. "They strongly underscored the need for the Turkish side in particular to move in this direction."

The members of the Council also welcomed the support given to the talks and to the Secretary-General's efforts by the Heads of State and Government of the European Union meeting in Seville on 21-22 June and by the Foreign Ministers of the G-8 on 13 June, the statement said.