Diplomatic Diary: UN official in Cyprus to revive reunification talks

17/06/2008

Efforts to relaunch reunification talks in Cyprus are under way. Also in diplomatic news: Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac met with Dayton, Ohio Mayor Rhine McLin, and Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Croatia.

UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe. [Getty Images]

UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe arrived in Cyprus on Monday (June 16th) for meetings with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Pascoe's visit is part of efforts to relaunch talks on the island's reunification. He meets separately with Christofias and Talat on Tuesday.

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Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac and Dayton, Ohio Mayor Rhine McLin discussed the possibility of extending co-operation between their cities Thursday (June 12th), during McLin's trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. They agreed to launch a student exchange programme between the University of Sarajevo and universities in Dayton later this year. McLin praised the progress made in BiH since 1995.

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Republika Srpska (RS) Parliament Speaker Igor Radoijcic and Perica Rajcevic, chair of the parliament committee on EU integration and regional co-operation, left on Monday (June 16th) for a two-day visit to Great Britain. The RS officials are expected to meet with Anthony Smith, director for Europe in the Foreign Office, and John Austin and Patrick Cormack, chairman and deputy chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for BiH, respectively.

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Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev left on Sunday (June 15th) for a three-day official visit to the United States. On Monday, Stanishev opened an investment forum at New York's Harvard Club. Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin, who is accompanying Stanishev, will give a presentation on economic prospects for Bulgaria and other countries in the region. On Wednesday, Stanishev meets with US President George W. Bush.

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Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his Croatian counterpart, Stipe Mesic, agreed on Wednesday (June 11th) that efforts to establish lasting stability in Southeastern Europe are necessary. At their summit in Zagreb, their delegations signed a memorandum of understanding between Turkish and Croatian export and investment agencies and a co-operation agreement between Turkish and Croatian state archives.

(Various sources 10/06/08 - 17/06/08)