LEFKOSA - UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Michael Moller said Thursday rather then launching a new initiative for the solution of the Cyprus issue, UN would support the good-willed efforts in negotiations between the two parties.
Moller decorated the soldiers --whose term of service in Cyprus ended-- at the HQs of UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) on behalf of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
Delivering a speech at the ceremony Moller said the time for serious negotiations in Cyprus was due and stressed that the window of opportunity that opened in 2008 would not remain so forever.
Moller recalled that rumours about a new UN initiative for the solution of the Cyprus issue -- regarded by some as "the last chance"-- roamed around. He said depending on the listener this initiative was imminent or possible and sometimes it depended on the outcome of the upcoming presidential elections in the Greek Cypriot side.
Moller said the year 2008 was believed by many to be crucial for a solution but pointed out that also in the past there had been many occasions where expectations were high.
Moller said they often had questions directed to themselves as to why the mission of the UNFICYP lasted so long and why no progress had been made towards the solution of the Cyprus issue. Moller said all those questions overlapped at one question: "Is there any political will in the leaders of the two communities of the island towards a solution?"
Moller said not them but the Cypriots had the answer to that question. He added that it was also the Cypriots who held the the key to the solution of the issue.
Moller underscored that UNFICYP would remain in the island to maintain stability for as long as they were needed.