Nicosia, 2 March 2017 - This afternoon, the Solution & Peace Platform (Çözüm ve Barış Platformu) – a group of 55 civil society organisations in support of a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus – called on the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General (SASG) on Cyprus, Mr. Espen Barth Eide, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, who also serves as Deputy SASG, at the UN’s Good Offices in the buffer zone.

SASG Eide and DSASG Spehar received Mr. Okan Dagli, Ms. Esra Aygin, Mr. Mertkan Hamit and Mr. Erbay Akansoy, who expressed concern about the current hurdles in the negotiation process, which they said harmed efforts to achieve a culture of peace and reconciliation between the island’s two communities.

The Platform, which presented similar messages to Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Mustafa Akıncı last week, also handed SASG Eide a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

SASG Eide and DSASG Spehar thanked the Platform for their powerful message, and expressed the UN’s support for their efforts to build a culture of peace in Cyprus.