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THE ’LUE ’ERETPublished monthly by the:

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EditorialSTeam

José Diaz

Miriam Taylor

Netha Kreouzos

Sgt. Andrej Milóv�ík (Photographer)

Capt. Tomas Pavlik

UnitSPressSOfficers

SectorSl Maj. Julian Gonzalez

SectorSm Capt. Phil Lawrence

SectorSo 1/Lt. Miroslav —elep

MFR Lt. Jonathan Frankling

UNPOL Garda John Kennedy

UNSFlt 1/Lt. José Velasquez

FMPU Capt. Jozef Sventek

The Blue Beret is UNFICYP•s in-housejournal. Views expressed are of theauthors concerned, and do not neces-sarily conform with official policy.

Articles of general interest (plus photoswith captions) are invited from allmembers of the Force.

Copyright of all material is vested inUN publications, but may be repro-duced with the Editor•s permission.

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Front Cover: LedraSStreetSopeningSrenewsShope

Back Cover: LeadersSkeepSmomentumSgoing

ContentsEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Political process moves forward /

Leaders reaffirm commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Panels pave the way for progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4New SRSG / New UNFICYP website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5International Day of UN peacekeepers . . . . . . . . . . . . .6/7Ledra Street opening renews hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/9A small light on the road to peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10/11New Force Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12UNFICYP medical centre / Pilgrimages . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13My and My... Efi scales the heights!/ATM in the UNPA . .14/15New Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16/17Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Sports News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Editorial

”prilhMaySmkktS…The Blue Beret

The leaders of the two communities have showndetermination to move the peace process forward,and we are privileged to assist them as they

advance on this worthy causeŽ, the head of the UN•smission in Cyprus said at a press conference to markInternational Day of Peacekeepers on 29 May 2008.

Responding to questions from the media on whenthe two leaders are expected to engage in direct talks,Tayé-Brook Zerihoun said: •I think they are the onlyones who can determine the degree to which it isrealistic or not (to have talks at the end of June).Ž Hestressed however that the UN was encouraged by theinitiative and commitment the two leaders have shown.

•I think there is also broad agreement that there isalso a new environment, conducive to re-engagementand a commitment to see the process through,Ž hesaid.

•For a conflict that has been around for four decadesor more, I think that a month here and a month thereshould not be an issue,Ž the SRSG said.

He said the UN•s view was that since the 21 March2008 meeting, there has been •appreciable movementforward in this processŽ, and pointed out that there hasbeen a narrowing of some of the gaps and perceptions,and also on issues of substance.

•So as long as the commitment is there, becausefrankly, the political will the parties … the two leaders …have shown is one which has changed the state ofaffairs of the status quo up to now, so we are veryencouraged by the process,Ž he added.

•So let•s keep the hope alive, and I am certain thatthe process, the momentum will be kept, and that isextremely important,Ž he said, adding that the progressbeing made in the technical committees and in some ofthe working groups should not be ignored.

Zerihoun•s comments con-firmed the earlier assessmentby Under-Secretary-Generalfor Political Affairs B. LynnPascoe who visited the islandfrom 30 March … 2 April tomeet with the two leaders andcivil society representativesboth in the north and south.

Pascoe said: • There is avery positive tone here inCyprus at the moment, and apalpable sense of momentum.The two leaders have set theirsights on achieving a fair andlasting solution, and I think Cypriots are right to havehigh expectations. I•m encouraged and I will pass thison to the Secretary-General.Ž

PoliticalSprocessSmovesSforward

Following the meeting on 23 May 2008 betweenTurkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat andGreek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias, the

Special Representative of the Secretary-GeneralTayé-Brook Zerihoun read out the following state-ment on their behalf:

The Leaders today had genuineand fruitful discussions, and reviewedthe results achieved pursuant to the21 March agreement.

They reaffirmed their commitmentto a bi-zonal, bi-communal federationwith political equality, as defined byrelevant Security Council resolutions.This partnership will have a FederalGovernment with a single interna-tional personality, as well as a TurkishCypriot Constituent State and a GreekCypriot Constituent State, which willbe of equal status.

They instructed their Representa-tives to examine, within 15 days, theresults of the technical committees.

The Representatives will consider civilian andmilitary confidence-building measures. They will alsopursue the opening of Limnitis/Ye�ilšrmak and othercrossing points.

The Leaders decided to come together again inthe second half of June to make a new assessment.

LeadersSreaffirmScommitmentStobihzonalSbihcommunalSfederation

•A window of opportunity for Cypriots to finally resolve theCyprus problem is clearly open.Ž With those words, theSecretary-General summarized, in his latest report onUNFICYP, the sentiment that has come to prevail in Cyprusand throughout the international community in the last fewmonths. In renewing UNFICYP•s mandate for another sixmonths on 13 June, the Security Council confirmed theSecretary-General•s assessment, encouraging the Cypriotleaders to continue working to reach a comprehensivesettlement.

The Secretary-General pointed specifically to the agreementof 21 March, the subsequent active engagement in sub-stance, and the joint statement of 23 May as clearindicators of a renewed political will to seek a solution tothe Cyprus problem. He commended both leaders for theirvision and commitment.

The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have indeedachieved quite a lot in a relatively short time. This hasjustifiably generated much enthusiasm and goodwill inCyprus and abroad. But continuing progress is not to betaken for granted. A solution is not a foregone conclusion.The •Cyprus problemŽ as it is understood today is decadesold; entrenched attitudes are still changing; mistrust andmutual suspicion have not completely disappeared. It willtake hard work, a spirit of compromise and vision on bothsides to achieve a solution.

This is why the Secretary-General strongly encouraged theparties to build on the present momentum and continueusing the current preparatory period to identify to thegreatest extent possible areas of convergence as well asdisagreement, while preparing options, where feasible, onthe more sensitive elements for the two leaders to consideronce formal negotiations begin. As progress is recorded, itis safe to say that the Cypriot parties will be able to counton sustained interest and support from the internationalcommunity. For its part, and as the Secretary-General re-called in his report, the United Nations is firmly committedto helping the parties move forward in this Cypriot-ownedand led process.

•

23 May meeting of leaders

New Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tayé-Brook Zerihoun briefs the media

Under-Secretary-Generalfor Political Affairs B.Lynn Pascoe

The Working Groups and Technical Committees thataim to pave the way for fully-fledged negotiationson the Cyprus problem began their work in

earnest on 22 April in the United Nations Protected Areaof Nicosia.

Addressing reporters on Friday 18 April, UNFICYPacting chief Elizabeth Spehar said the panels wereevidence of the commitment and determination of theleaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities,Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat, to reach acomprehensive settlement. She said the United Nationswould do all it cold to help the two sides in their searchfor a sustainable and mutually acceptable solution.

George Iacovou, representative of the Greek Cypriotleader, said he felt a sense of elation as the six WorkingGroups and seven Technical Committees prepared tokick off their meetings.•Your work could be, and indeedwe hope will be, the real beginning of a solution to theCyprus problemŽ, he said. •The two leaders expect you

to develop ideas on which they can base their directnegotiations under the auspices of the U.N. Secretary-GeneralŽ.

Ozdil Nami, representative of Turkish Cypriot leaderMehmet Ali Talat, said establishing the panels was •theeasy partŽ. •Our new challenge is much more ambi-tiousŽ, he continued. •Together we have to achievewhat could not be achieved in 44 years and reach acomprehensive settlement to the Cyprus issue. Toachieve this ambitious goal, we will have to change ourways. We will have to start thinking as a team and notas rivals.Ž

The decision to form the Working Groups and Tech-nical Committees came out of the 21 March meeting ofthe leaders. The Working Groups will deal with sub-stantive issues of the Cyprus problem, including power-sharing, territory and security, while the TechnicalCommittees will tackle such issues as criminal matters,health and the environment.

The kick-off of the Working Groups and TechnicalCommittees was one of the highlights of the actingSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General•stenure.

Spehar was in Cyprus from 27 March to 7 May,following the departure of Michael Møller.

She joined the Department of Political Affairs of theUN Secretariat in September 2007 as Director for theAmericas and Europe Division (AED). Prior to thisappointment, she was a senior official with the Organi-

sation of American States (OAS) for over12 years.

From 1995 to 2004, Ms. Spehar servedas the Executive Coordinator of the Unit forthe Promotion of Democracy (UPD) at OASHeadquarters in Washington, DC. During2005 and early 2006, she headed the OASElectoral Support Programme in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In February 2006, Ms. Speharreturned to OAS Headquarters in Washing-ton as Director of the Department for thePromotion of Democracy in the newly-created Secretariat for Political Affairs.

Prior to her initial appointment to theOAS, Ms. Spehar had served as the Head ofthe Americas Programme of the Inter-national Centre for Human Rights andDemocratic Development (ICHRDD) inMontreal, Quebec, Canada (1990-1994).

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Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, the Special Rep-resentative of the Secretary-Generaland Chief of the United Nations

Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),arrived in the country on 13 May.

Mr. Zerihoun comes to Cyprus from theSudan, where he served as the Secretary-General•s Principal Deputy Special Repre-sentative in the United Nations Mission inthat country (UNMIS). Since joining theUnited Nations in March 1981, Mr. Zerihounhas worked on special political questionsin different capacities and areas, includingdecolonization, trusteeship, conflict pre-vention and resolution, peacemaking andpeacebuilding.

Between 1995 and 2003, he servedinitially as Deputy and then Director ofAfrica I Division in the Department ofPolitical Affairs (DPA), with responsibilityfor the countries of the Horn of Africa, theGreat Lakes and Southern Africa regionsas well as regional organisations. He wasthen appointed Chairman of the Inter-departmental Task Force for Sudan (ITF)and served in that capacity until becomingPrincipal Deputy Special Representativewith UNMIS.

Mr. Zerihoun is married and is thefather of four children.

PanelsSpaveStheSwaySforSprogress NewSSRSGjChiefSofSMission

Some of you may have noticed that the UNFICYP website hasundergone a significant makeover. Indeed, the transformation

is ongoing, as we continue working to make the site as useful,accessible and attractive as possible.

We plan to have a formal launch of the new website very shortly.In the meantime, keep visiting us at www.unficyp.org.

SpeharSatSlaunchSofSWorkingGroupsSandSTechnicalSCommittees

SpeharSatSlaunchSofSWorkingGroupsSandSTechnicalSCommittees

ElizabethSSpehar

Tayé-Brook Zerihoun

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For 60 years now, United Nations peacekeepingoperations have been helping societies emergingfrom conflict return to a path of reconstruction and

development. The UN•s work in Cyprus is an integralpart of those six decades of history.

For nearly 45 years, since its inception following theoutbreak of intercommunal violence in 1963, UNFICYPhas worked to prevent a recurrence of fighting andcontribute to the maintenance and restoration of law

and order and a return to normal conditions.The United Nations has also been active in bringing

the sides together in view of reaching a just and lastingsettlement.

The photographs below provide a small window onto the daily work of UNFICYP•s peacekeepers … menand women soldiers, police and civilians from aroundthe world … with the people of Cyprus.

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepersis observed every year on 29 May. This year, theDay coincided with the 60th anniversary ofpeacekeeping. Marking the Day at a meeting withthe media, UNFICYP head Zerihoun paid tribute

to the thousands of UN peacekeepers who have servedin Cyprus over the last four decades. •While historywill be the ultimate judge of UNFICYP•s success, Ibelieve the work of our colleagues in helping to createconditions that would allow the political process tomove forward has been commendable,Ž he said.

Paying tribute to the 178 peacekeepers who havedied in Cyprus in the line of duty, the UNFICYP Chief ofMission quoted Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: •Today,

we recommit ourselves to ensuring that their sacrificesare never forgotten, and the vital work of the bluehelmets continues as long as they are neededŽ.

The thousands of men and women who have giventheir time, energy and commitment in the service ofpeace in Cyprus under the UN flag can be proud of theircontribution, Zerihoun said.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his message tomark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, saidthat in the six decades since the Security Council estab-lished the first peacekeeping mission, it has developedinto a flagship enterprise of the Organisation.

•Today, we have more than 110,000 men andwomen deployed in conflict zones around the world.They come from nearly 120 countries … an all-time high,reflecting confidence in United Nations peacekeeping,Žhe said.

The Secretray-General noted that this anniversaryis an occasion to celebrate, but also to mourn the morethan two thousand and four hundred men and womenwho have died serving the cause of peace. Just lastyear alone, we lost 87 brave individuals.

•Each one is a hero,Ž he said.

€ Established in March 1964, UNFICYP is the longest-running UN peacekeeping mission with troops onthe ground (two older missions … UNTSO in theMiddle East and UNMOGIP in India and Pakistan …have only military observers).

€ Approximately 860 military personnel from morethan a dozen countries are deployed along thebuffer zone in Cyprus to help maintain peace andstability.

€ UNFICYP peacekeeping and humanitarian supportoperations also involve a small civilian police con-tingent, plus approximately 150 civilian per sonnelfrom some 30 different countries.

€ The buffer zone stretches 180 kilometres across the

island, and varies in width from less than fourmetres in Nicosia to some seven kilometres nearAthienou.

€ Some 8,000 people reside in six villages inside thebuffer zone. Among these villages is the mixedGreek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot community ofPyla.

€ The buffer zone includes the United Nations Protec-ted Area, which was declared in 1974 and encom-passes the old Nicosia International Airport site andUNFICYP Headquarters, located on the westernoutskirts of Nicosia.

€ More than 150,000 soldiers have served in UNFICYPsince it was established.

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UNFICYPSFacts

UNFICYP peace-keepers transportgovernmentwelfare assistancein the form of fooditems and pensioncheques to elderlyGreek Cypriots andMaronite minoritycommunities inthe Karpas andKormakitis regionsin the north.

Villagers in theMaronite villageof Kormakitisunload suppliesfrom a UN truck.

Peacekeepers fromUNFICYP's BritishContingent makehome delivery ofwelfare supplies toan elderly Maronitewoman’s home inKarpasha village,in the Kyreniadistrict

Prior to the openingof the Ledra Streetcrossing point, amine action teamconducts a sweepfor unexplodedordnance. The teamis part of UNDP's“Partnership for theFuture …Mine ActionCentre”. It workswith UNFICYP'ssupport across theisland in an effortto free Cyprus oflandmines.

The Buffer Zone with-in Nicosia follows the“Green Line” drawnacross the city on 30December 1963,when the communi-ties agreed to createa neutral zone bet-ween the areas theyoccupied in Nicosia. This sector reflectsthe more intensivepersonnel levelsneeded for observa-tion and patrol withinthe built-up areas ofthe old city, wherethe buffer zone issometimes only aswide as four metres.

A Civil Affairs teamvisits a TurkishCypriot home inthe Turkish Cypriotquarter of Limassol.UNFICYP teamsmake such visitsto Turkish Cypriotminority communi-ties � mainly Roma� in Limassol andPaphos. Theyprovide languageassistance to helpindividuals getmedical care andaddress housingneeds, amongother things.

Peacekeeperspatrolling in Sector1, which covers adistance of approxi-mately 90 km fromKokkina Village onthe western coast tothe village of Mam-mari. The Sector hasbeen the responsibi-lity of an ArgentinianContingent since16 October 1993.Military ObserverLiaison Officers arein daily contact withmilitary counterpartson the two sideswithin this region.

During a weeklywelfare visit, anUNFICYP CivilAffairs LiaisonOfficer is welcomedby one of theMaronite women ofAsomatos Village inthe Kyrenia district.

Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, flanked by Force Commander Rear Admiral Mario Sanchez Debernardi, addresses media on Peacekeepers Day

”prilhMaySmkktS…The Blue Beret ut

One of the most poignantsymbols of the divisionof Cyprus is once againserving to bring Greekand Turkish Cypriots

together. Almost 45 years after theGreen Line cut it in half, LedraStreet, in the heart of old Nicosia,re-opened on 3 April amid hope thatit could serve as a portent of thereunification of Cyprus.

Speaking at a brief ceremony tomark the event, UNFICYP actingChief of Mission Elizabeth Speharcalled the opening historic. •Historicfor the hope it represents for therenewal of the peace process inCyprusŽ, she said. •Historic as tan-gible evidence that what hasappeared impossible for decades is,in fact, attainable … if the will to goforward is there. And historic in itssymbolism, as the barriers that cameto embody the division of this beau-tiful island finally give way to let allthe people of Nicosia come togetherin the heart of the city.Ž

Spehar said the opening of LedraStreet did not mean the Cyprusproblem had been solved. •That willrequire much more work amongCypriots as well as support from allthose who wish to see a just anddurable settlement in this country,Žshe said. •But the opening does giveus a glimpse of what is possible whenthose elements come together.Ž

She added that the UnitedNations would do its utmost to helpCypriots as they proceeded toshape the future of their country. •Isincerely hope that today•s historicevent will be only one of manymarkers of progress on that road.Ž

The opening of Ledra Street fol-lowed a decision by the leaders ofthe Greek Cypriot and the TurkishCypriot communities at their 21March meeting and crowned weeksof negotiations mediated by UNFICYP.

Advisers to the two leaders,George Iacovou and Ozdil Nami,were present at the opening cere-mony, tgether with the two mayorsEleni Mavrou and Cemal Bulutoglu-lari.

Iacovou said the opening was animportant and auspicious occasion.•We want it to be auspicious be-cause we aspire to the eliminationof crossings and to the opening ofall roads in this country for all its

citizens with no obstructions, as aconsequence of its reunification,ŽIacovou said.

•It has not been an easy roadƒin fact, I could say it has been adifficult road to this happy celebra-tory occasion. But we have over-come [the obstacles] and I hopethat we can overcome all the diffi-culties that we face in the processof finding a solution to the problemof Cyprus that would lead to thereunification of the country and itspeople,Ž he added.

Nami said the day was historic.•We are witnessing the overthrow ofone of the obstacles for the reuni-fication of the island. Almost half acentury of division has been symbo-

lised here,Ž he said.•I think it•s symbolic in the fact

that we are now in a new era. A newprocess has started. It started in avery positive mood. This is a contin-uation of that positive mood. It alsosymbolises for me that when Turk-ish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots canovercome their fears, when theyhave goodwill and when they startto build trust with one another, theycan overcome long-standing dis-putes and arguments. We are nowat a new age, a new understanding,and we have to make use of it.Ž

The Greek Cypriot and TurkishCypriot Mayors, Eleni Mavrou andCemal Bulutoglulari, also gave shortspeeches.

Bulutoglulari said that over theyears, it was the determination of astring of mayors that kept pushingthe politicians to open Ledra Street.•We said we will open this gatewithout politicians and force it tillwe get the solution,Ž he said.•Today, this had happened.Ž

Mavrou said: •No barricade sym-bolises so strongly the island•sdivision and decades of failed re-unification attempts as much as thisone, Ledra Street.

•It could be the fact that histor-ically, this road reflected thetensions and conflicts between thetwo communities and, at the sametime, their cooperation and friend-ship. It could be the fact that it runsthrough the heart of the capital ofCyprus. It could be the fact thatwhile life goes on in both sides,these 70 metres remained frozen intime with the bullet-scarred derelictbuildings reminding us of the tra-gedy of this island.Ž

Mavrou said opening Ledra Streetwas a much-needed positive stepforward that could underpin peaceefforts, and generated a renewedsense of hope in both communities.

Reports put at 20,000 the numberof people to have used the crossingpoint in the four days that followedits opening.

Ledra Street is the sixth crossingpoint to be opened between northand south since 2003.

LedraSStreetSopeningSrenewsShope

”prilhMaySmkktS…The Blue Beret

The principal officials of Nicosia, Eleni Mavrou and Cemal Bulutoglulari, heraldthe opening of Ledra Street

From the left: George Iacovou, Ozdil NHami, Acting UNFICYP chief Elizabeth SpeharLocal and international media capture historic opening

Sea of people fill the 80-metre stretch of road reconnecting two sides of the cityCrowds watch historic opening from the rooftops

”prilhMaySmkktS…The Blue Beret lllk

Hundreds of Cypriotsflocked to Ledra Streeton 3 April to celebratethe momentous occasionof its opening and toge-

ther step through the buffer zonetowards reuniting their capital.

As a UN peacekeeper but also asa Cypriot, it was a major moment inmy career. I shared the satisfactionof my colleagues at achieving thisopening, but as a Cypriot, I felt asmall candle had been lit to light theway on the road towards peace forour island.

Standing among the crowdswaiting for the ceremony to begin, Iheard a group of Greek Cypriotswho own shops along Ledra Streetand its side streets that had beenleft derelict for over four decades,

say they had even brought theirshop keys with them although theyknew they could not use them justyet. It was more a symbolic actand an expression of hope for thefuture.

Officials, diplomats and mediajostled for space in the narrowstreet while the crowds waitedpatiently for the official ceremony toend and mark the beginning of anew era where the road that hadbeen closed for 44 years wouldfinally re-open.

The excitement rose to acrescendo with the Turkish Cypriotcrowds chanting pro-peace slogansto the sounds of drum beats and thezurna, even before the ceremonyended.

•Peace cannot be obstructed inCyprus,Ž the people cried and themood of the ever-swelling crowdsrose as 50 multi-coloured balloonswere released into the air andscenes of celebration unfolded asCypriots were allowed to crossthrough the buffer zone to the otherside.

One group of Greek Cypriotspopped a bottle of champagne asthe balloons were released and theywalked down the street, toastingtheir compatriots.

Ambrosia, 44, with her glass ofchampagne in hand, told journaliststhat this was the first time she wascrossing over. She felt this was notonly a commercial move to reviveLedra Street, but possibly the be-ginning of some sort of a solution.

Many elderly Cypriots who hadgrown up along Ledra Street and itsalleyways, said they had come towalk the streets of their childhoodand see if they could find any oftheir old friends.

Mehmet, 63, originally fromPaphos, said it had been over 40years since he had last walked thisroad. •It•s no solution, but it•s afirst step,Ž he said.

Two teenage Cypriot girls … oneTurkish Cypriot and one GreekCypriot … had arranged to cross assoon as the checkpoints opened andmeet in the middle of Ledra Street.Exclaims of jubilation, hugs andkisses filled the air as they cametogether in no-man•s land but de-monstrated they were truly on theirown soil.

The two former Mayors, LellosDemetriades and Mustafa Akinci,whose vision it was to reconnecttheir city, could be seen walking upand down the street, arm in arm,their wives behind them, talking tojournalists and ordinary citizens andexpressing their sense of joy andsatisfaction at the opening.

Demetriades said: •We foughtfor this moment, and now that ithas arrived, we are all very happyand satisfied. We have a long roadahead but that doesn•t mean wehave to sit and mope like oldwomen. You cannot solve problemsby sitting in the office and thinkingall about the negatives. You have tothink the positive things too.Ž

•And the fact that the heart ofthe city, the real heart of the city,now can communicate, that•s a verygreat thing. Of course, this wholeproblem has not been solved. Ofcourse, the wall is there, but thereare cracks and if you have enoughcracks, then you have no wall.Ž

Nodding to his counterpart Mus-tafa Akinci, Demetriades recalledhow he had been threatened andunder attack for cooperating on theNicosia master plan project con-necting the sewage system of thecapital.

Smiling Akinci said, •Yes, thiswas not a popular idea, but wherethere•s a will, there•s a way, andafter 44 years, this has been pro-ven. Cooperation started here 30years ago when we connected thepipes under this road. Now it•s thepeople connecting above groundand is much more significant. It isnot an end in itself, of course, but itis a good beginning and we hopethat the Cypriots will have morereason now to believe and work hard

to create their own internal dyna-mics to solve the Cyprus problem.Ž

In the two months since LedraStreet or Lokmaci Crossing hasopened, over 80,000 people havewalked the 80-metre stretchthrough the buffer zone that hasbeen lined with flower pots of sap-ling olive trees, past the crumblingbuildings that had been covered bysheets with colourful figures andballoons, to the other side.

Netha Kreouzos

”SsmallSlightSonStheSroadStoSpeace

Mehmet (63)

”prilhMaySmkktS…The Blue Beret

Former mayors Lellos Demetriades and Mustafa Akinci talk to crowds of their joy atopening

Two mayors and their colleagues enjoy a cup of Cypriot coffee after the opening of Ledra Street

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UNFICYPSMedicalSCentreShSlkSyearsSon

Pilgrimages

Ten years ago, on 2 December 1998, the Chief ofMission, Dame Ann Hercus, and Force Comman-der, Maj. Gen. Evergisto de Vergara, officially opened

the Medical Centre in the UNPA.It provided first line and routine medical cover for

UNFICYP military, police and civilian personnel andBRITCON dependents, an average of 100 patients eachmonth.

Then, this international medical centre was staffedby 1/Lt. Anibal Acuña (MD), Sgt. Walmsley and Cpl.Watts.

Today, the centre provides cover for an average of85 patients per month. It is still staffed by two Britisharmy nurses, Sgt. Elizabeth Scorse and Cpl. RachelStaples, from the Queen Alexandra•s Royal Army Nurs-ing Corps. The Senior Medical Officer at present is 1/Lt.Sebastian Patricios, an orthopedic surgeon specializingin trauma, who arrived from the central military hos-pital in Buenos Aires in April 2008. This is Sebastian•sfirst tour with UNFICYP, however he has served for sixmonths in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

The first SMO, 1/Lt. Acuña, now holds the rank ofMajor, and is a renowned surgeon (specializing in handsurgery) in Buenos Aires. He is currently the chief ofthe trauma section in the Argentinianmilitary hospital (HMCM), and Sebastianconsiders himself fortunate to havereceived a thorough insight into the situa-tion in UNFICYP and the experiencegained by Maj. Acuña 10 years ago.

After just one month in the post, Sebastian says:•The briefing I received was very thorough because Ifelt I knew the Medical Centre before I arrived. It is inthe same location, it holds the same resources fortreating patients, and the connections with the civiliansystem remain similar. We have constant contact withthe Sectors on medical problems, and report to theForce Medical Officer, Maj. Gábor Gion.Ž

Rachel comments on the challenges of treating thedifferent nationalities within UNFICYP. One of the mainissues was the language barrier, but that is alwaysovercome. •I•ve only been here since the beginning ofMay, yet I already feel part of the UNFICYP family,Ž saysRachel.

Liz says, •This posting is different from any nursingexperience I•ve had in the British army so far. Apartfrom the UK, I have served one tour in Iraq where therewas a large medical staff. However on the UNPA, thereare only two nurses, Rachel and myself, and we have amuch greater responsibility. We deal with everyone onthe UNPA, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, coveringnot only routine visits but also medical emergencies.So far I•ve been involved in four medical emergencies,which we were well able to deal with.Ž

Every year, at the request of religious authorities, UNFICYPallows and offers the necessary support for the celebration

of patron saint days at churches located inside the buffer zone.Two celebrations took place this year celebrating the name

day of St. George, one at Varisha on 28 April and the other at

Ayios Georgios on 1 May. Both churches are in Sector 1’s areaof responsibility.

Both events ran according to plan, demonstrating once againthe excellent cooperation of the three pillars in their attempt toreturn the buffer zone to normality.

Varisha pilgrimageAyios Georgiospilgrimage

NewSForceCommander

Rear Admiral Mario Sanchez Debernardi, UNFICYP•snew Force Commander, arrived in Cyprus on 1April in the midst of one of the most significant

developments on the island in the last few years … theopening of Ledra Street.

Such recent progress in the peace process makesfor an auspicious start to Debernardi•s first command ofa UN mission. He has worked as a peacekeeper before… serving as military monitor in the United NationsTransition Assistance Group (UNTAG) in Namibia from1989 to 1990 … but he says being appointed ForceCommander is the high point in his professional career.

•I have had important commands in Peru, butnothing as significant as this,Ž he says.

Admiral Sanchez served in a number of differentMarine Units in his country, Peru. Throughout the 80sand 90s, he served seven tours of duty as the armedforces fought insurgent groups in Peru. Among hispostings, he commanded Peru•s 3rd Counter TerroristMarine Battalion in the Ucayali Region in the country•stropical rain forest, and served as Chief of the Depart-ment of Peace Keeping Operations at the Peruvian JointCommand. He was also Chief of Staff of the PeruvianMarine Force, and Chief of the Department of HomelandSecurity at the Peruvian Joint Command.

Just before he joined UNFICYP, Debernardi servedas Director of Policy and Strategy of the PeruvianMinistry of Defence.

Referring to his duties at UNFICYP, Debernardi saysthe military the world over have similar structures andspeak the same language, so commanding a forcedrawn from countries as diverse as Argentina, theUnited Kingdom, Slovakia, Hungary and others doesnot pose any problems.

The issue of working together with civilian andpolice peacekeepers in a three-pillar structure is alsosomething he is comfortable with, he said. He pointsout that in Peru•s Ministry of Defence, his chief is alsoa civilian and there is a coordinating structure for oper-ations similar to UNFICYP•s.

•We work with the political leadership, the policeand armed forces in Peru for our homeland securityŽ,he adds.

Debernardi says his first impression of the peace-keeping force is that it is running like a •well-oiledmachineŽ.

Admittedly, he says he is still absorbing the infor-mation and notes that the previous Force Commander,Maj. Gen. Rafael Jose Barni, gave to him. •Barni madean excellent presentation and I received a lot of infor-mation from him. We only had one day to talk aboutthe mission so we spent the whole day in intensivediscussions.Ž

The deluge of information and new faces continuedon his arrival in the mission and before he knew it, amonth had already passed, he says smiling.

He views the mission as a challenge where he has toengage with many actors and military counterparts atvarious levels.

•I always say that being in the military, we aretrained for a war, but we are the people who will neverwant a war, so we always try to maintain peaceŽ, hesays. Reflecting on his own experiences in Peru, hesays, •We had serious problems in the 80s and 90s withterrorist groups as well as problems with our neigh-bours in the south and north … we are prepared andtrained for war, but always think in terms of peace.

•We don•t live alone in this world and our actionsaffect each other to a greater or lesser degree,Ž hecontinues. •My country is a member of the UnitedNations, and if the organisation needs us to keep thepeace in the world, then that is our duty.

•I think I arrived at a very special moment for themission, and it would be wonderful for peace to beachieved during my command,Ž he says.

Netha Kreouzos

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10 years ago: From the left: Maj. Acuña, Maj.Gen de Vergara and second right, Dame AnnHercus

From the left: 1/Lt. Patricios, Maj. Gion, Sgt. Scorse, SSgt. Alicia Guerrero(Force Medical Assistant) and Cpl. Staples

Rear Admiral Mario Sanchez Debernardi

”TMSinStheSUNP”

In an effort to support UNFICYP staff, Marfin PopularBank (Laiki Bank) are pleased to announce theinstallation of an ATM machine located at their

premises in the UNPA.UNFICYP staff now have continued access to their

banking requirements on a 24-hour-a-day basis.Services include cash withdrawals, bill payments,outward transfers, mini statements, request forcheque books, etc.

The ATM machine has been fully operational since30 May 2008.

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EfiSscalestheSheightsTMeSandSM

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Efi Angeli made history as the first female driver tojoin the UNFICYP Transport Unit in September2006. She is mainly involved with VIP driving

duties and has done her fair share of airport runs forUN officials and visitors. Her quiet confidence, profes-sionalism and cheerful outlook have endeared her to allin the Transport Unit and in Headquarters. Dispatchwill often be asked, •Can Efi drive us, please?Ž For atime, she was also a favoured driver for our previousChief of Mission Michael Møller.

But even as she was driving the Chief of Mission, Efiwas already eyeing the trucks lined up in the car park.It wasn•t long before she passed her Heavy GoodsVehicle (HGV) licence and is now a regular driver on theLong and Short North Wind Patrols, the former takingGovernment supplies to the Greek Cypriots in the nor-thern part of the island, and the latter taking suppliesto the Maronite community in Kormakiti.

It is not surprising then that when she got talking tosome rock climbers a couple of years ago, she foundherself immediately interested in this risky pursuit,despite the fact that she is terrified of heights.

•To overcome your fears, you have to challengethem,Ž she says.

Efi decided to enlist on the 1st Stage Course in RockClimbing involving theory and preparation for an 18-metre climb up the side of a small mountain with onlya rope, a helmet and some metal bits and pieces tostop her from falling.

Her first climb was an exercise in automated terror.•I didn•t look up and I didn•t look down and kept mynose in the rock. Halfway through I wanted to give upand get down, but my trainer pushed me to carry onuntil I completed the climb.Ž

The next day she somehow found the courage toclimb again but this time, something clicked. She sawviews that took on a different perspective from high upon the side of a steep rock, and with a bit of a rush,knew that this was going to be her passion.

Since this revelation, rock climbing and mountain-eering have become a major part of her life. No need toask Efi what she is doing this weekend, because weknow it invariably involves hanging off the side of asheer rockface with the aid of a piece of string!

It is generally accepted in Transport that her choiceof hobby clearly indicates the woman is crazy, but whatabout her two sons? Are they proud of her or do theythink she is simply mad?

•Both, I think. They are very proud of me but nei-ther of them is tempted to join me on a climb. Mypartner James is also very supportive, but he has to bebecause he•s always out kite surfing.Ž

Her mother crosses herself and sighs •Panayiamou.Ž (Oh my goodness!)

To be a rock climber you have to be physically fit, soEfi is always training and perfecting her technique toprogress through the different grades. Weekends areoften taken up climbing difficult routes as part of herdevelopment.

Climbers always work in pairs. One climbs and theother takes the role of •belayerŽ, controlling the ropeattached to the climber, thereby preventing him fromfalling to the ground.

There are only so many rocks in Cyprus, so Efi oftentravels. Her favourite trip was the Kalimnos climbduring the 2006 Petzl Rock Fest, an internationalcompetition. •I watched world class climbers whoencouraged us and gave really informative talks in theevenings. It was a good experience to try differentclimbs and routes in a new environment.Ž

But climbing has becomemore than just a relaxing past-ime for Efi: she has become amember of the Cyprus Searchand Rescue Team and the GreekMountaineering Association.Though these are volunteer org-anisations, in the event of adisaster, she could be called up totake part in a rescue operation atany time. Last year, she was onstandby during the fires thatraged in Greece.

Her training for this workinvolved a rigorous eight-daycourse in the Austrian Alps lastyear where she gained her cer-tificate in mountain rescue tech-niques to search and locate vic-tims and get them to paramedicsfor medical treatment.

•The views were beautiful and we stayed in Alpinehuts, but the worst thing was the shower we had tohave in ice cold glacial water eve ry morning.Ž

And, as a way of relaxation, she told us all about thebasic •canyoningŽ she indulged in, also known as gorgewalking. And •rappellingŽ … when you throw yourselfdown a bottomless gorge for excitement.

Her best and worst moments were one and thesame time. She was testing herself to move up a grade,and half way up the crag, she slipped and swung outover an overhanging rock. She fell eight metres andwas left swinging from the rope, upside down. The onlything that stopped her from falling any further downwas her climbing partner, who held onto the rope whileour fearless and angry Efi forced her way back up therock and successfully completed the climb.

In progressing up a grade, she suffered her worstfall and was black and blue for the next two months. Atthe same time, she describes the experience as pureexhilaration!

And what about future challenges?•I hope to walk the 750 km trail of Camino de

Santiago.ŽEfi, whatever rings your bell!

Christine Iacovou

NB The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimagetrail in northern Spain.

Chief Finance Officer Husein Moussa withKoulla Themistocleous, Supervisor with theMarfin Popular Bank Branch at UNFICYP Headquarters

Training to rescuean injured climber

Efi preparing her role as belayer

Training in mountain rescue in Austria

Climber and belayer in action

DCOSSectorSl

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NewSFacesChiefSMissionSSupport

CivilS”ffairsSMilitarySLiaisonSOfficer

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Lt. Col. Eduardo Carreras was born inBuenos Aires in May 1961. He took over

the post of CMTC on 30 March.He joined the Army in 1979 and served in

the 16th, 11th and 26th Mountaineer Infan-try Regiments and later in the Army GeneralStaff and the Infantry School. He has parti-cipated in many military courses, mostimportantly the Logistics Specialization andMilitary Joint Planning.

This is Eduardo•s third tour of duty withUNFICYP (the first two were as S4/Sector1). He also served as a Military Observerwith UNIKOM from 1999-2000.

Eduardo is married to Carolina andthey have four children: Santiago (20),Eduardo (19), Carolina (17) and Gonzalo(eight). His interests include rugby, football,skiing, snorkelling, playing guitar andpiano.

Maj. Michael Hunt MBE BSc (Hons) was born on 25October 1959 in Wisbech near Cambridge. He

joined the British Army in 1976 where he trained as aprofessional chef. He spent his early years in NorthernIreland and Germany where he met hiswife Helen, a German linguist.

Having ascended through the ranks ofthe British Army and in his spare timegaining teaching qualifications, he spenttime as an Instructor at the Army Schoolof Catering in Aldershot. There, Michaelgained several national and internationalawards for cooking. Whilst in Germany

during 1997 he was awarded an MBE for work carriedout in Poland. After a short period, he was commis-sioned and posted back to the UK to undertakeemployment in the specialist field of contracts and

procurement.At 40, Michael attended a two-year

course at the University of Surrey in Cor-porate Hospitality and Catering BusinessManagement. He was then posted to theBritish MOD for six years.

Michael is accompanied by his wifeHelen, daughter Annika and grandsonCharlie (11 months).

Maj. Daniel (Dan) McNeil is a CanadianOfficer who is currently serving on a

three-year exchange with the British Armyin Germany. Maj. McNeil is OC of 62 Mate-rial Squadron, within 6 Supply RegimentRLC stationed in Gütersloh, Germany.Maj. McNeil, his wife Audra, daughterJordan and son Conor all reside in Güter-sloh with their dog Molly, and have verymuch enjoyed the British hospitality andEuropean experience.

Maj. McNeil is a major (pardon thepun) sports fan and enjoys playing andwatching ice hockey, football (Europeanand American), basketball and boxing. Healso enjoys beer (pretty much all beer),travelling and music. He is a hugesupporter of Chelsea Football Club who hepredicts will win the treble (Champion•sLeague, Premiership and FA Cup) withinthe next three years.

Maj. Johann Zach arrived in Cyprus on 11 March totake over the post of Civil Affairs Military Liaison

Officer.Born in Langschwarza in Lower Austria in

1956, Maj. Zach joined the Austrian ArmedForces in 1975. He has had several postingsas NCO in Artillery Battalion 3. He gradua-ted as an artillery officer in 1989. He hasbeen a platoon leader, company commanderand an Information Officer in the HQ of themilitary training area of Allentsteig inAustria.

This is Maj. Zach•s third tour with UNFICYP havingserved in 1981 as a Liaison Post leader in the Karpas

area; in 1985 as an Observation Post leaderin Dherinia; and in 1994-1995 as a DeputyCommander and then Commander 1st Coyin Athienou, Sector 4. In 1997, he servedwith the OSCE as a Polling station super-visor by the elections in Bosnia. In 2000 hetook up the post of DCO/COO in the Aus-trian Contingent in UNDOF for one year.

Maj. Zach is married to Renate. Hishobbies include photography and travelling.

Nicolas von Ruben was appointed UNFICYP•s Chief ofMission Support on 4 May 2008.

He has served in peacekeeping since 1994 when hestarted as an engineer in UNPROFOR. From there, hemoved to the UN mission in Haiti, followedby two tours with UNIFIL, first as the ChiefEngineer and later as the Chief of IntegratedSupport Services. In between, he had a 15-month tour with UNLB. Prior to taking up thepost of Chief Engineer for peacekeeping atUN headquarters in 2003, he undertook afour-month assignment in MONUC. In 2006he was assigned as the Chief Integrated

Support Services to the mission in Sudan, during whichhe supported the logistics effort in establishing themission in Darfur. He returned to UNHQ in Decemberto act as the Special Assistant to the Under-Secretary-

General for the Department of Field Supportuntil taking up his current appointment.

A qualified Civil Engineer, Mr. von Rubenspent 20 years, after his national militaryservice, in the private sector in his nativeSouth Africa and in England.

Mr. von Ruben is married to Adriana andthey have two daughters: Sophie (seven)and Amy (five).

Apologies go to Lt. Comd. (Maj.) Alberto Cohen who was referred to as the Air Safety Officer instead of theForce Signals Officer in the last edition of the Blue Beret.

Lt. Col. Lucilo Bernabe Lopez Mayerjoined Sector 1 on 26 March 2008. Born on 22 November 1964 in Entre

Rios, Argentina, he graduated from theArgentinian Army Officers• Academy in1985 as a Second Lieutenant in CombatEngineering.

In 1995, he took up a one-year post asthe Argen tinian Military Liaison Officer inUNTAES. Since then, his ov erseas postingshave included Argentinian Engineers DCOin UNIKOM (2001) and Staff Officer at the

KFOR HQ NATO as Theatre Mines & EODOfficer (2005).

Lt. Col. Lopez Meyer attended the WarCollege in Buenos Aires (1999-2000), hasa university degree in Strategy and Organi-sations, and during 2007, he completed hisMA in Strategy and Geopolitics.

He is married to Gabriela and theyhave three sons, Lucilo (14), Facundo Galo(12) and Estanialao (four). His interestsinclude skydiving, scuba diving, sailing,polo and golf.

Lt. Col. Capps joined the British Army in1985 and was commissioned into the

Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) in Decem-ber 1986.

His initial tour was with 1 Sqn, whichincluded his first (six-month) tour withUNFICYP. He was then posted to Germany.Additional postings included NorthernIreland, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Australiaand the UK, including a tour as instructorat the Royal Military Academy at Sand-hurst and also leading land planning and

execution in support of the disaster reliefoperation following the Tsunami December2004.

Lt. Col. Capps married Robyn in 2000and they have two daughters aged fourand three.

He was a member of the Great Britainmarathon canoe racing team from 1993…2001 and is part of the crew that holds theDevizes to Westminster Canoe Challengerecord. He enjoys outdoor activities and allforms of fitness training.

Lt. Col. Béla Berena took over the post of DeputyCommander Sector 4 on 12 March 2008.Lt. Col. Berena comes from Székesfehérvár, west-

ern Hungary, and joined the Air Force in 1975. Hetrained in the Killián György Air ForceCollege of Technology (Szolnok) as a pilot/air controller, and served in various homepostings of the Hungarian Defence Forces.He currently holds the post of head of theHDF Standardisation and Doctrinal Depart-ment.

This is Lt. Col. Berena•s second tour ofUNFICYP, as he was appointed DCO Sector4 between 2000-2001.

Lt. Col. Berena is a member of the internationaltreaty for controlling team of the Conventional ArmedForces in Europe (CFE) and the Confidence andSecurity Building Measures (CSBM); a member of the

NATO Land Operational Working Group,Unmanned Arial Vehicle Working Group;and is Head Editor of the Joint ForcesCommand of the Hungarian DefenceForces.

His hobbies include military andcivilian aeronautics, pedagogy andpsychology.

He is married to Erzsébet and theyhave two children, Bettina and Balázs.

mpSFebruary was a very specialday for 1/Lt. Miroslav —elep,Adjutant Sector 4. His wifeSlavka delivered their first child.Miroslav had intended to bepresent at the birth, but Alicahad other plans. She was bornone month prematurely, weigh-ing 2.46 kg.

Miro flew to Slovakia andmet up with his wife and daugh-ter after Alica had spent twoweeks in an incubator. Thehappy father announced, •I amnow well aware of the pleasantobligation to change my CV atthe end of my tour withUNFICYPŽ.

”Sveryspecialday

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Visitors

As UNFICYP prepared to mark Inter-national Day of UN Peacekeeping in

May, it received some very special visit-ors: former peacekeepers who had returnedto Cyprus to reminisce about a unique ex-perience in their lives and to get up tospeed on the fast -moving political situa-tion on the island. The former soldiersfrom Austria and Denmark proudly donnedtheir blue berets as they toured UNFICYPHQ and the old Nicosia Airport. Their visitsserved to underline the significant roleUNFICYP has played in Cyprus for almosthalf a century, as well as the remarkablehistory of UN peacekeeping, which thisyear marks its sixtieth anniversary.

Other visitors to UNFICYP included theAustrian Defence Attaché Col. NikolausEgger on 11 April, the deputy ForeignMinister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr.Vladimir Titov on 18 April, the HungarianCypriot community on 21 May (EuropeanDay), the Military Police Advisers Commu-nity on 22 May, and US Congressionalstaffers on 26 May.

SportsSNews

Afriendly game of football was played betweenSlovakian peacekeepers and Czechs living in Cyprus

on 28 April 2008 as part of efforts to retain goodrelations between the two nations and their Cypriotpartners.

The game, organised by the Slovak Embassy, wasplayed in Limassol and was won 4-1 by the Slovaks.Ambassador H.E. Anna Tureni�ová presented the Vic-tory Cup to the captain of the Slovak team, Maj. KamilBilek, Force Engineer, UNFICYP. 1/Lt. Miroslav Šelep

The UNFICYP team ran their hearts out at the recentCyprus Services Orienteering Championships held

over two days at Melanda on 10-11 April 2008.The Individual Events were held on day one and

UNFICYP managed to secure not only 1st and 2nd placeon the 7km A Course but 1st, 2nd and 3rd places on the5km B Course.

MSgt. Tamas Tomoskozy, a top Hungarian orien-teerer with the Mobile Force Reserve and Capt. RichardMurray, the Brazilian Ops Officer with Sector 1 were theheroes in the Men•s Class. Diana Bridger from HQUNPOL won the shorter B Course, with guest runnersMrs. Kirsi Mantovani from Finland second and Mr.Lennart Gustavsson from Sweden third.

The Harris Relay Events were held on day two andthe UNFICYP mixed team of Maj. Kathryn Heppinstallfrom HQ Ops Info, Mr. Kyriakos Michaelides from ITSection, Mrs. Kirsi Mantovani and Ms. Diana Bridgermanaged to win the runners-up trophy. Diana Bridger

Never has a football match beenplayed at the UN football pitch

with such passion and colours asthe one between the ARGCON andUNPA teams on 28 May.

The match, played to the de-lightful rhythms of beating drumsby the visiting ARGCON supporterswho travelled in several coachesfrom Sector 1, San Martin Campwith passion and determination toperform and support, was a finespectacle of talent and flair.

Kick-off was at 5.30 p.m. and forthe first 10 minutes or so, the gamestarted rather shakily with somenervous play from both sides.ARGCON found their feet first andwere able to manoeuvre around thepitch with their slick and fastpassing, putting the UNFICYP teamunder pressure at times.

UNFICYP then began to play ona few uncovered weaknesses fromARGCON, and was able to break thedeadlock with a goal after mountedpressure from a quick taken corner.

Constant pressure and tacticalplay from both sides continued withincreasing attacking formations from

ARGCON, who were eventually re-warded with a great through ball,cutting the UNFICYP defence like ahot knife through butter, finishingoff with a fantastic low strike to thebottom left corner, leaving the hostsrather stunned as the first halfended 1-1 with not much separatingthe two.

The second half was a contin-uation of the same strategy and

determination from both sides. Thefinal goal came from the UNFICYPteam with a finely executed penaltyshot into the bottom far left corneras the goalkeeper dived desper-ately, but to no avail.

Despite ARGCON making fasttactical changes to boost the strikeforce for the equalizer, the finalscore was 2-1 to UNFICYP.

Rick Demetriou

Austrian Veterans � 21 May

Danish Veterans � 20 May

US Congress Staff � 26 May

Military Police Advisers Community � 22 May

The Hungarian-Cypriot community on European Day � 11 May

Deputy Foreign Minister of the RussianFederation H.E. Mr. Vladimir Titov � 18 April

Austrian Defence Attaché Col. NikolausEgger � 11 April

Back Row: Capt. Richard Murray, Mr. Lennart Gustavsson, Maj.Nigel Stanton, Mr. Kyriakos Michaelides, MSgt. TamasTomoskozy. Front Row: Ms. Diana Bridger, Mrs. KirsiMantovani and Maj. Kathryn Heppinstall

FriendlySfootballSinSLimassol

UNFICYPStriumphs

UNP”SversusS”RGCON

UNFICYP’s UNPA team on the left, and ARGCON’s team on the right

The winning Slovak team with Slovak AmbassadorH.E. Anna Tureničová (centre)

LeadersSkeepmomentumSgoing