Senior U.N. Official Will Offer Assistance Ahead Of Cypriot Reunification Talks

New York, NY (AHN) - A top United Nations official will travel to Cyprus next week to determine the assistance the agency can provide as local leaders prepare to restart formal negotiations aimed at reunifying and ending a decades-long dispute on the Mediterranean island.

U.N. Spokesman Michelle Montas confirmed Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will head to the island to see what assistance the United Nations can offer.

The talks, hosted by the U.N. Secretary-General's Special Representative to Cyprus Michael Moller, will bring together Cypriot leaders, Greek-President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish-leader Mehmet Ali Talat. The parties have agreed to resume talks in the next three months.

Ahead of formal talks, a number of working groups and technical committees will tackle several key issues. With representatives from both camps, the groups will study existing agreements and provide recommendations that will serve as a reference point for any upcoming deals.