Britain is expected to hand over to the members of the UN Security Council the draft resolution for the renewal of the mandate of UNFICYP, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

According tro diplomatic sources, during yesterday`s discussion at the UNSC, both UNSG`s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, who briefed the UNSC, as well as the overwhelming majority of the members, stressed UNFICYP`s irreplaceable role in maintaining the security in Cyprus, as well as in contributing to bi-communal contacts and enhancing its good offices mission.

Spehar said that at the meeting the members of the UNSC expressed strong interest about the contacts of UNSG`s envoy Jane Hall Lute. The draft resolution is expected to ask the UNSG to submit a new report on Lute`s efforts, most probably in April.

Diplomatic sources expect that after the resolution is adopted, the dates of Lute`s next visit to Cyprus will be announced.

The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The last round of negotiations, in July 2017, collapsed at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.