UN authorized to seek submissions on flag and anthem for Cyprus
The United Nations has been authorized by Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, to seek submissions on a flag and anthem for Cyprus through open public competition as foreseen in the proposal for a comprehensive settlement put to them by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The United Nations has been authorized by Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, to seek submissions on a flag and anthem for Cyprus through open public competition as foreseen in the proposal for a comprehensive settlement put to them by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The parties agreed at their meeting yesterday that this procedure needed to be set in motion if a flag and anthem were to be ready to be included in a completed agreement by 28 February, so as to enable the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots to decide on the settlement in separate referenda on 30 March.
“It is understood that the flag and anthem would only be adopted as part of a comprehensive settlement if the entire plan is approved in the separate referenda and a new state of affairs comes into being,” the UN said a statement issued in Cyprus. “This decision reflects a shared commitment to ensure that all preparations are made for a completed agreement in accordance with the timeframe proposed by the Secretary-General. It should not be taken as an indication of the state of play in the ongoing negotiations.”