United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has recommended that the Security Council extend the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for an additional six months, as he considers its presence on the island "essential to the maintenance of the cease-fire between the two sides".
According to CNA news agency, in his report on UNFICYP to the Security Council, covering the period between November 15, 2002 to May 20, 2003, the UN Head stresses that the recent developments in Cyprus and the easing of restrictions of free movement, "are not a substitute for a comprehensive settlement."(Albawaba.com)
