Diagne calls on both sides in Cyprus to look beyond past divisions

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, UNFICYP, Khassim Diagne, has called on both sides in Cyprus to renew their commitment to dialogue, trust and cooperation.

Diagne said peace was not simply the absence of conflict, but a shared commitment to resolving differences through peaceful means.

In a statement ahead of the International Day of Peace on September 21, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative Khassim Diagne said this year’s theme, “Invest in Peace,” highlighted the need for sustained effort, resources and collective will.

Diagne said that for more than six decades, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus had worked alongside the people of the island to maintain stability, facilitate dialogue and support conditions conducive to a comprehensive settlement.

He welcomed the continued engagement of the Cypriot leaders, civil society, young people, women and communities across the island in efforts to advance peace and reconciliation.

Diagne called on everyone who considers Cyprus home to look beyond the divisions of the past and focus on the possibilities of the future.

He reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Cyprus, saying UNFICYP would continue to carry out its mandate in the service of peace and the people of the island.

“Peace is possible. Let us invest in it together,” Diagne said.