There are no plans to abandon Ledra Palace the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) spokesperson, Aleem Siddique, has told CNA, asked about the possibility of returning the hotel, which is situated in Nicosia buffer zone, back to the Church of Cyprus.

The issue was discussed earlier on Thursday during a meeting of Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides with Archbishop Georgios, in the presence of Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos.

Siddique noted that “Ledra Palace remains imperative for UNFICYP operations inside the UN buffer zone.”

He added that “the site is used everyday for mission critical activities in addition to a wide range of bicommunal events and activities.”

“There are no plans to abandon this location,” he concluded.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.