Fires rage buffer zone - unmissions.org

Fires ragein the UNbuffer zone

32 July 2007 – The Blue Beret

THE BLUE BERETPublished monthly by the:

Public Information OfficeUnited Nations Peacekeeping Force inCyprusHQ UNFICYPPO Box 216421590 NicosiaCyprus

Tel: 2261-4550/4416/4408Fax: 2261-4461E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]:www.unficyp.org

Editorial TeamBrian KellyMiriam TaylorNetha KreouzosSSgt. Michal Ivan (Photographer)Anne BurseyCapt. Tomas Pavlik

Unit Press Officers

Sector 1 Capt. Guillermo LarreynaSector 2 Capt. Gary AllenSector 4 Capt Miloš SegeňMFR Lt. William PercyUNPOL Sgt. Gail McClureUN Flt Lt. Cristian RamosFMPU Capt. Miroslav Svorník

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 pho-tos with 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:Fires Rage in the UN Buffer Zone

Back Cover:UNFICYP Assists in Pilgrimage

ContentsEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2UNFICYP Assists in Pilgrimages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3UNFICYP Summer Integrated Medal Parade . . . . . .4/5World Population Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Sector 1’s National Days / Organic Farming . . . . . . .7Fire! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/9SG on Why the United Nations Matters . . . . . . .10/11Pyla Football / FMPU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12A Close Shave / Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13New Faces / Jonathan’s New Command . . . . . . . . .14Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Summer is a time to enjoy going out to the sea ormountains to rest and rejuvenate ourselves. It’s thetime of year when we all take pleasure in our naturalenvironment, whether it’s a picnic in the mountains or awalk on the beach.

However, this idyllic picture is marred by thoughtlessbehaviour that can have devastating effects on thenatural environment.

Leaving behind rubbish, including plastic bags andbottles, is not only an eyesore, but also pollutes beachesand seas and enters into the ecosystem, harming faunaand flora.

But leaving behind rubbish is not just a pollutant. It canhave devastating effects, as in the case of fires startedby glass bottles left behind in forests, as these canbecome magnifying glasses when temperatures soar to40oC and above.

Despite many warnings by the authorities, people arestill seen burning stubble in the fields or lighting fires intheir back yards. Smokers flick ash or throw cigarettebutts out of car windows. Picnickers light barbecues orabandon empty bottles in the forest. After baking intemperatures of 40oC, dry branches and twigs becometinder, and the slightest spark and a gust of wind canfan the flames, spreading it quickly out of control.

Most fires are started in a moment of carelessness byotherwise law-abiding citizens. However, negligence inthese circumstances is unforgivable, as its devastationto the fragile environment threatens both human lifeand puts a further strain on the over-stretched naturalhabitat.

The buffer zone has become a preserve for the island’secosystem and is at high risk of grass and bush fires. Inthe last month, UNFICYP soldiers, police and civilian fire-fighters spent approximately 120 man-hours putting outfires. Whether civilian, soldier or police, all need to beaware and responsible for their actions in these hot,dangerous months.

UNFICYP facilitated two religious pilgrimages inJuly, one in Dherynia (Sector 4’s area of respon-sibility) and the other in Ayia Marina Skylloura,

on the outskirts of Nicosia.The first pilgrimage was on 17 July to the Agia

Marina Orthodox Church located inside the buffer zoneclose to Dherynia. Sector 4’s SCAT, UNPOL and militaryworked together to assist in the organisation oftransport for the safe passage of pilgrims to and fromthe church.

Working together with the local community, repre-sented by Mr. Andreas Shiapanis, Mayor of Dherynia,the SCAT 4 team based in Pyla organised the logisticalarrangements for the large number of pilgrimsexpected to enter the buffer zone.

UNFICYP supports this annual event, which issignificant for the villagers of Agia Marina as it marksthe feast day of their saint. Approximately 500 pilgrims,from the very old to the very young, arrived for theevent, and were ferried to and from the churchthroughout the morning by UNFICYP peacekeepers. AnUNFICYP medical team was constantly on standby.

Thanks to the support from UNFICYP’s combinedelements, the pilgrimage was a great success. The church and monastery of Prophet Elias was the

venue for the second pilgrimage which took placeon 22 July.

The church, dating back to 1508, and the monas-tery, constructed in 1735, played a significant role inthe survival of the Maronite minority in Cyprus, both asa spiritual and as an educational centre. Through thecenturies, this monastery contributed to the propaga-tion of charity, tolerance, co-existence, co-habitationand peace. In the heart of this establishment, Greeks,Turks and Maronites were traditionally involved inagriculture and lived and prospered together.

The monastery to this day is considered by Maron-ites as part of their cultural heritage. Celebrating theProphet Elias feast day (20 July) at the church andmonastery is a highlight in their religious calendar. Thechurch service is arranged for the nearest Sunday, andthis year it took place on 22 July.

Civil Affairs Branch assisted in obtaining the neces-sary permission from the authorities in the north tohold the service, and participated in the event, alongwith around 500 Maronite pilgrims of all ages from bothnorth and south of the island.

Access to the Prophet Elias church was via an oldroad from Kontemeno in the direction of Morphou,along dirt tracks and cutting across fields.

The original icon of Prophet Elias, that belongs tothe church dedicated to the saint, was transportedspecifically for the ceremony from Kormakitis, where ithas been retained since 1974, and is considered anantiquity. Mass was led by the General Superior EliasKhalife, head of the Maronite Monks, who arrived inCyprus from Lebanon especially for the event. Also inattendance was Lebanese Ambassdor Michel El Khouryand the Maronite representative, Antonis Hadjiroussos,from the House of Representatives.

Father Superior Joseph Georgiou of the CyprusMaronite monastery said the ceremony was an emo-tional event for those attending, and expressed, onbehalf of all Cypriot Maronites, his gratitude forUNFICYP’s assistance in making it happen.

EditorialUNFICYP Assistsin Pilgrimages

July 2007 – The Blue Beret

Pilgrims inside the historic church ofProphet Elias during the ceremony

A peacekeeper helping one of the elderlypilgrims on her way to Agia Marina

UNFICYP Summer Integrated Medal Parade

July 2007 – The Blue Beret 54 July 2007 – The Blue Beret

The old Nicosia International Airport was onceagain the venue for the UNFICYP IntegratedMedal Parade which took place on 5 July.

UNFICYP soldiers stood to attention in the hot,afternoon sun as Chief of Mission Michael Møller,Force Commander Maj. Gen. Rafael Barni, CO Sector1 Lt. Col. Justo Francesco Treviranus, British HighCommissioner Peter Millett, Slovak Ambassador JánVaršo and Hungarian Ambassador Csaba Lovrópresented medals to 210 peacekeepers.

An estimated 550 guests attended the parade,including Ambassadors, members of the diplomaticcorps, staff and sector members, and families andfriends of the medal recipients.

Welcoming all guests to the sixth integratedmedal parade, SRSG Møller praised UNFICYP’ssoldiers for their vigilance and dedication. As theChief of Mission stated, “Sometimes you have towork in trying and difficult circumstances. Civilianswho defy security considerations to promote theirproperty rights and interests in sensitive buffer zoneareas without due thought for the impact on safetyand stability don’t make your peacekeeping task anyeasier.”

He added that UNFICYP, as stated in theSecretary-General’s recent report, will continueto support civilian activities in the buffer zone inkeeping with ownership rights, but not at theexpense of stability and security. “It is you, thepeacekeepers, the mainstay of the internationalpresence on this island, who help provide stabilityand calm along the ceasefire lines as you goabout your business in a sustained demonstrationof fairness, impartiality, tolerance, patience, co-operation, tact and diplomacy.”

The SRSG said that it was a matter of greatpride for him to award the United NationsPeacekeeping Medal in the name of theSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “The medalhonours your contribution, both individually andcollectively, as peacekeepers. It has been wellearned. You richly deserve it.”

A reception followed the ceremony withnational delicacies offered by Sectors 1, 2 and 4.Thanks must also go to the MFR and SlovakEngineers for their assistance in the preparationsfor the event.


The theme of this year’s World Population Day –men as partners for maternal health – focusesattention on the fundamental role of men in sup-

porting women’s rights, including their right to sexualand reproductive health.

Today, more than half a million women die each yearduring pregnancy and childbirth, 99% of them in deve-loping countries. Many more suffer serious complica-tions that can have a severe impact on the quality oflife for women and their families. Almost all of thisdeath and suffering is preventable.

As partners for maternal health, men can save lives.They play a decisive role in many respects. Husbandsoften make decisions about family planning and the useof household resources that influence the well-beingand prospect of the whole family. The support of aninformed husband improves pregnancy and childbirthoutcomes and can mean the difference between life anddeath in cases of complications, when women needimmediate medical care. And supportive fathers canplay an important role in the love, care and nurturanceof their children.

Far too many women die during pregnancy andchildbirth because their right to sexual and reproductivehealth is denied. The alarming spread of HIV amongwomen is a tragic reminder that in many places,

women do not have the power toprotect their own health. When awoman can plan her family, she canplan the rest of her life. When she ishealthy, she can be more productive.And when her reproductive rightsare promoted and protected, she hasfreedom to participate fully and equally in society.

Several countries have succeeded in significantlyreducing maternal death rates in the space of a decade,when women gained access to family planning, mid-wives and backup emergency obstetric care. However,much more needs to be done to achieve the MillenniumDevelopment Goal of improving maternal health aroundthe world by 2015. Partnering with men is an importantstrategy for advancing reproductive health and rights.And gender equality, another Millennium DevelopmentGoal, is most likely to be achieved when men recognizethat the lives of men and women are interdependentand that the empowerment of women benefitseveryone.

On this World Population Day, let us all encouragemen to become partners and agents for change,supporting human rights and safe motherhood in everyway possible, thus contributing to creating a world ofgreater health and opportunity for all.

SG on World Population Day – 11 July

Capt. Tomas Pavlik (Slovak AirForce) is currently the Military

Public Information Officer at HQUNFICYP. He is married to Lenka, andthey have two children, Nina (four)and Alexander (one).

Before the children were born,Lenka had a high-powered post as anEconomist in Slovakia. She resignedto become a full-time mother, butintends to return to the workforce assoon as possible. To do this, she willundoubtedly need the assistance ofTomas.

Tomas says, “Lenka gave up hercareer temporarily for our family.However, she has left me in no doubtthat she wishes to return to the worldof economics as soon as she can. I

will then have to deal with balancingmy own career with hers, and I will doeverything I can to help her.

“So far, she has taken care of thebasic family requirements, but I cansee the day coming when I shall haveto do my ‘fair share’ of the householdchores, etc. This will not be hard whenbased in Slovakia, however there aretimes when the armed forces are de-ployed in missions abroad. That iswhen I can foresee problems. However,where there’s a will, there’s a way!

“Globally, more and more women arejoining the regular work force andSlovakia is no exception. With bothpartners working, the quality of lifeimproves. We have to move with thetimes!”

Sgt. Dawn Cairns, SSA Chief Clarkin Sector 2, is married with three

children: Michael 26, Yan 22 andShay 17. Her husband, Gary, is alsoin the military and serves in theBritish Territorial Army.

Dawn first enlisted in September1979 and is now attached to 8 Trans-port Unit at Ledra Palace. Over theyears, she has been posted to variousbranches of the military, including 13years in the Territorial Army.

She says her husband, who is inthe British Territorial Army, under-stands the requirements of the joband has been supportive, not only of

her career, but of her being a workingwife and mother. This has allowed herto continue her career and be postedon a mission in Cyprus.

Dawn says what has made hermarriage work is their appreciation ofeach other, respecting each other’sviews and aspirations. “It’s a part-nership of give and take, allowingeach other to work and developcareers while at the same timesharing family responsibilities.”

The scale, however, does tend tolean more heavily on women when itcomes to being flexible and arrangingchanges in lifestyle, she concedes.

From a male soldier’s point of view....

From a female soldier’s point of view....

Trainers and students

On 15 May, the 14 Paraguayan soldiers of Sector 1celebrated the 195th anniversary of their indep-endence from Spain. On that day, a parade took

place in Roca Camp to honour the occasion.At 8.00 a.m., the parade began with a salute by

Sector 1 CO Lt. Col. Justo Francisco Treviranus. AllParaguayans, accompanied by their Argentinian andChilean fellow peacekeepers, stood to attention for thenational anthem and the raising of the Paraguayan flag.

1/Lt. Gilberto Romero addressed the parade, giving ashort account of his country’s history and the signifi-cance of this date. He also emphasized the importanceParaguay attaches to its peacekeeping duties.

At the end of the event, ARGCON’s padre, FatherFernando Visconti, blessed the parade.

Farmers from all over the island took part in aworkshop on methods and processes in organicfarming, organised by the Cyprus Organics

Advisory Group throughout July, with support fromUNDP-Action for Cooperation and Trust.

COAG is a network of experts in organic farmingwhose aim is to share knowledge and practicalsolutions across the island, in order to encouragemore farmers to switch to more environmentallysustainable methods of farming. COAG workshopsoperate on the premise that theoretical knowledgemust be complemented by practical, hands-on exper-ience, which is why the first day of the workshopconsisted of a field trip to an organic vineyard in thevillage of Pissouri near Limassol. Participants also

had the opportunity to see organic practices in olivegroves.

On the second day, participants learned aboutnew methods in sustainable farming, and were ableto discuss its environmental and economic benefits.

The workshop is one of six thematic eventsplanned by COAG to increase awarenessof the bene-fits of organic farming forenvironmental preservation and wastemanagement. It is also aiming to stimu-late dialogue between the two Cypriotcommunities through the exchange oftechniques and ideas related to organicfarming.

Argentina celebrates Independence Day on 9 July,the day in which the proclamation declaring inde-pendence from Spain, was signed in 1816 in

Tucumán, one of the country’s oldest cities.Argentinian peacekeepers celebrated their Indepen-

dence Day with a parade at San Martin Camp. The eventopened with a presentation by Brig.Gen. H.C. Trisano,Chief Operations Argentinian Armed Forces HQ, who wasin Cyprus to inspect peacekeeping operations in Sector 1.

Force Commander Maj. Gen. Rafael José Barni tookthe parade salute which was then followed by an addressby Lt. Col. Justo Francisco Treviranus who outlined thesignificance of the day. After the national anthem,ARGCON priest Father Fernando Visconti blessed theceremony and a reception followed.

Paraguayan National Day

Organic Farming

Argentinian Independence Day

UNDP-ACT’s Conference Room

Pissouri vineyards

Soaring temperatures of over 40oC and strongwinds increase the risk of fires during the Cyprussummer.

This was the case on 29 June when one of the worstblazes the island has seen in decades destroyed 11.8square kilometres in the Saitas area of the Troodosmountain range, of which 5.7 kilometres was stateforest land. Around 370,000 trees were turned to ashin the blaze that also scorched 15 homes.

UN Flight received a request from CYPOL’s DeputyPolice Chief, Mr. Michael Papageorgiou, to fly over thefire zone in the Troodos mountains to assess the courseof the blaze and determine the best strategy for extin-guishing the flames.

A Hughes 500 helicopter, piloted by Lt. Pablo Lopezand Lt. José Pio Cabrera, took off at 6.00 p.m. from theold Nicosia International Airport. They flew to the firezone and reached a height of 2,300 metres, muchhigher than the normal air patrol. Flyingabove the fire, radio coordinates wereused in conjunction with other aircraftin the area. Patterns of observationwere conducted in order to identifypossible access routes to battle theflames. After an exhaustive flight, thehelicopter returned to Nicosia at sunset.Mr. Papageorgiou thanked UN Flight fortheir assistance in this arduous mission.

The island’s Fire Services report thatalthough the number of fires has notincreased in comparison to previousyears, the area of land burnt is greater.On average, around 25 fires break outevery day during July, many of whichwere in remote and hard-to-accesslocations.

According to UNFICYP Senior FireOfficer Paul Qadir, the same trend canbe seen in the UN controlled buffer zonearea where there have been 36 repor-ted fires since January 2007. Fourteenwere recorded between 14 June and 14

July alone, destroying approximately 10 square kilo-metres of trees and vegetation. Eighty-two soldiersspent approximately 132 hours fighting these fires,while three UN trucks and 43 civilian fire trucks assistedin extinguishing the blazes.

Seven fires broke out in Sector 2 (Nicosia area), sixin Sector 1 (Mammari, Astromeritis) and one in Sector4 (Athienou area). The fire in Athienou on 9 July whichstarted in the evening at around 8.20 p.m. was thebiggest one so far with fire fighters working through thenight to bring the blaze under control. The firedestroyed approximately 7 km of grass and bush landwithin the BZ, as well as a wooden sentry box at OP115. According to reports, fire-fighters had difficultybringing the blaze under control, due to the strongwinds fanning the flames as it spread to minefields,resulting in explosions of landmines.

In all incidents, the cause of the fires is unknown.


Fire is the most powerful destructive natural force. Inthe worst scenario, it can result in loss of life or

disfigurement. This fact should serve as a reminder toall UNFICYP personnel about the dangers, as it is so easyfor a fire to start.

The operational efficiency of sections, units andoffices can be seriously affected, not only by the destruc-tion of property and equipment, but by the time requiredto replace such losses and make good the damageinvolved.

UNFICYP’s Engineering Section/Fire HQ is responsiblefor the mission’s fire safety. In this regard, anticipation ofwhere the dangers lie plays a lead role. Prevention is ofthe essence, therefore the following actions are taken:. Prevention inspections;. Checking/testing/maintenance of fire equipment;. Fire training;. Fire drills/exercises;. Regular up-dating of policies and Standing Orders.

During 2006, the Engineering Section/Fire HQ re-ceived 135 fire calls, 75 of which potentially threatenedlife or property.

A total of 685 UN personnel received fire training atdifferent levels, ranging from Fire Safety briefings, Basicand Fire NCO courses.

Between 19 and 23 April, the Engineering Section/Fire HQ ran the Fire Basic and Fire NCO courses as partof the Engineering Section/Fire HQ Integrated FireTraining Programme. Participants were not only fromUNFICYP military and civilian personnel, but also fromUNCMP and UNHCR.

Chief of the Cyprus Fire Services, Andreas Nicolaou (centre),and his Deputy, Charalambos Charalambous, met withUNFICYP’s fire-fighting team on 25 July to discuss cooperationon fire fighting, prevention and safety as well as sharinginformation and resources in investigations on causes of fires

UNPA fire/emergency contact number:2261-4777

Call signs: 9-india/9-xray/9-zulu on channel 14;

Civilian fire emergency telephone numbers:South – 112/199North – 199

Always:. Clear all dry weeds from gardens;

. Cut branches of trees which are in contact with thehouse;

. Keep lighters/matches out of the reach of children;

. Remember that smokers should place water orsand in their ashtrays;

. Remember never to smoke in the bedroom;

. Keep in mind that pressurised canisters should notbe in directly exposed to the sun;

. Avoid using multi-plug adaptors for electricalappliances;

. Make sure all electrical appliances not in use areswitched off;

. Close all doors and windows if you plan to be awayfrom home for long periods, as in the event of fire,this will help to stop it from spreading.

FIRE!

Keeping the home safe

FIRE!

UN Flight assist CYPOL by providinga flight over the fire in the Troodosmountain range

Are you ready?

The greatest fire hazard within the buffer zone at thistime of the year is dry grass and vegetation.

Attention to a few details can prevent fires, therebysaving lives and property.

Everyone should remember thefollowing:1. Place cigarettes/matches in ashtrays or proper

containers – never throw them out of a window;2. Avoid using plastic bins to put out cigarettes;3. Don’t leave glass materials such as empty bottles or

broken mirrors in dry grass areas, as they could actas magnifying glasses in high temperatures;

4. Never park your car near any dry grass or vegeta-tion – a hot vehicle engine can cause a disaster;

5. Always switch your vehicle engine off – never leaveit running;

6. Always carry a fire extinguisher in your car;7. Use only designated areas for barbecues – never

anywhere else;8. Never leave your barbecue unattended;9. Never forget, when finished, to use water or sand/

soil to damp down the fire.

Safety measures for UN personnel andcivilians working in the buffer zone:1. Use designated smoking areas – NOT offices and

accommodation buildings;2. Always use dry powder/CO2 fire extinguishers, fire

beaters or green tree branches if electricity poles areinvolved in a fire – never use water;

3. UN patrol vehicles are required to carry at least fourfire beaters, a minimum of 500 grams in the drypowder fire extinguisher and a medical kit;

4. Always attack any fire in groups – never fight bufferzone grass or forest fires alone;

5. Be mindful never to fight buffer zone grass fires up-or down-wind but always from a cross-wind direc-tion, being mindful of smoke and radiation heat;

6. When fighting fires, watch out for the fenced offminefields that remain in the buffer zone;

7. Wash your boots when you leave a fire area –otherwise you could easily help it spread;

8. Your life comes first – never risk your life to fight afire. Take all safety measures possible, and contactthe fire crew immediately.

Basic Precautions against Grass or Forest FiresBasic Precautions against Grass or Forest Fires

Fire-fighting training courses are available for all UN personnel.To sign up, contact the Engineering Section/Fire HQ (Ext. 4453/4).


Today, when people look back on the early years ofthe United Nations, they think of the promise theOrganisation held. They think of the idealism and unitythat inspired the San Francisco Conference, and thesigning of the Charter. They think of the creation oflandmark documents, such as the Universal Declarationof Human Rights. They think of the courageous pio-neers who joined and shaped the Organisation in itsfledgling years.

In my country, too, those early years were asso-ciated with a steadfast sense of faith in the UN. As I wasgrowing up in a war-torn and destitute Korea, the UnitedNations stood by my people in our darkest hour. The UNgave us hope and sustenance. Its flag was a beacon ofbetter days to come. And in the course of my ownlifetime, with the assistance of the UN, the Re-public ofKorea was able to rebuild itself from a country torn apartby war, with a non-existent economy, into a regionaleconomic power and major contributor to the Organisa-tion. That support helped me make the journey to thispodium today. For that, I am deeply thankful.

Since then, the UN – and the world as a whole – havecome to appear much complicated. So have the chal-lenges confronting our Organisation. The perception ofus is no longer so black and white, and tends now to bedrawn in various shades of grey.

But if you are an optimist, as I am, you will paint theUN in brighter colours. You will know that our world ofcomplex and global challenges is exactly the envir-onment in which our United Nations should thrive –because these are challenges that no country can

resolve on its own. It is aworld in which the UN can,and must, grow and takeon new roles, develop anddeliver on new fronts.

Allow me to outline a fewof the most pressing prior-ities facing us today. They

are huge challenges – and every bit as defining andhistoric as those which confronted our founders.

Consider our agenda in peace and security: First, we must step up action to confront the tragedy

of Darfur. The human toll of the ongoing crisis is devas-tating, and the world can no longer accept further delaysin the peace process. The tragic cycle of violence asbeen allowed to continue for far too long.

The African Union deserves enormous credit forstepping in when no one else would. Its mission in theSudan has had a significant impact on the ground. Butit lacks the capacity to protect civilians and build sta-bility. I am encouraged that the Government of Sudanhas accepted a joint operation, or hybrid, bringingtogether forces from the African Union and the UnitedNations. Once deployed, this challenging operation willbe an unprecedented effort.

But at the same time, we must also seek to resolvethe causes of the conflict. We are stepping up thepolitical process, and hope to begin a new and conclusiveround of negotiations as soon as possible. This should

be supplemented by a serious development effort in theregion, including ensuring access to water resources.And for Sudan as a whole, we need to take forward theComprehensive Peace Agreement between the northand the south.

Second, we need to make serious efforts for progressin the Middle East. That entails work on several broadfronts.

Throughout the region, and around the world, theArab-Israeli conflict, with the question of Palestine at itscore, remains an issue of deep concern. Yet I draw hopefrom some recent developments. The Quartet has de-monstrated its commitment to find a way forward. TheArab League has underlined its commitment to peacewith Israel, by stressing the continued relevance of theArab Peace Initiative, whereby Egyptian and Jordanianenvoys will visit Israel. I will continue to encouragemovement towards the shared goal of all parties for ajust, lasting and comprehensive peace.

On the ground, in Gaza, the UN has broad humani-tarian responsibilities. The UN Relief and Works Agencyremains the largest employer and provider of humani-tarian relief, after the Palestinian authority. My prioritynow is to secure a permanent and reliable reopening ofGaza crossings, so as to allow in more commercial andhumanitarian supplies.

In Lebanon, the UN is working to support the countryin everything from its physical reconstruction, to itsquest for a peaceful, democratic and fully independentfuture. Today, almost 14,000 UN peacekeepers serve asa buffer in southern Lebanon. It is a robust, effective andbalanced force, which has already helped to achieve anumber of key objectives. But they cannot stay thereindefinitely. As the recent and deadly attack on ourpeacekeepers reminds us, the only hope for enduringstability lies in the path of reconciliation between thevarious communities inside the country.

In addition to a national unity government, Lebanonneeds to see the successful establishment of a SpecialTribunal to try the perpetrators of the Hariri assassi-nation and other related crimes. We must put an end toimpunity for such acts. In accordance with SecurityCouncil resolution 1757, I am taking the measuresnecessary for the Tribunal to be established.

Iraq is the whole world’s problem. The UN can assistin building an inclusive political process to promotenational reconciliation. It can help cultivate a regionalenvironment that supports a transition to stability. Andit can pursue reconstruction and development throughthe International Compact – the initiative which the IraqiPrime Minister and I co-chaired together, for a new part-nership with the international community. I intend tokeep pressing for real follow-up and implementation.Equally, the UN is helping to coordinate humanitarianefforts for the growing number of Iraqi refugees andinternally displaced persons.

Third, we need to invigorate disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. On North Korea, I will try my best tofacilitate the smooth process of the Six-Party process,and to encourage the work for a de-nuclearisation of the

Korean Peninsula. On the specific challenges of NorthKorea and Iran, the Security Council has acted by adopt-ing important resolutions. Let us see the same commit-ment from Member States at the global level. We mustmobilize more concerted efforts to overcome the currentstalemate in non-proliferation and disarmament.

We face an equal challenge in terrorism – one ofacute concern to this country at this time. How do wework to prevent the global scourge of terrorism fromposing an existential threat to humankind? Last Septem-ber, the UN General Assembly took a historic stepforward, by adopting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

For the first time, Member States universally resolvedto take concrete political, operational, and legalmeasures to combat terrorism in a coordinated manner.They pledged to strengthen the capacity of States and ofthe UN to do so. They agreed that we must addressconditions that can be conducive to the spread ofterrorism. And, of fundamental importance, they agreedthat protecting human rights and the rule of law iscentral to the fight against terrorism. Now our challengeis to implement this landmark document – both in letterand in spirit.

These issues in peace and security are daunting. Butthey must not be allowed to overwhelm the enormouschallenges we face in other areas.

Our agenda for development is equally pressing.This year marks the halfway point for the time we

have given ourselves to reach the Millennium Develop-ment Goals – agreed by all the world’s Governments asa roadmap to a better world by 2015. Let us keep thepromise. To meet the target date, we have to takeconcerted action now.

And we have to make real progress on an issue Ibelieve defines our collective future, more than anyother: climate change. Friends, I am convinced that this

challenge, and whatwe do about it, will de-fine us, our era, andultimately, our globallegacy. It is time fornew thinking. Leadersneed to accept theirhistorical responsibili-ties – but look less attheir historical respon-sibility to their ances-tors, and more to theirhistorical responsibilityto their grandchildren.Will succeeding gener-

ations have to ask why we failed to do the right thing,and left them to suffer the consequences?

I will ensure that the UN plays its role to the full. TheGroup of Eight agreed last month that the UN climateprocess is the appropriate forum for negotiating futureglobal action. To build on the current momentum, I amconvening a high-level meeting on climate change inNew York in September, at the start of the GeneralAssembly. I hope the leaders there will send the follow-ing message, loud and clear, as they look ahead to thenegotiations on the UN Framework Convention inDecember: business as usual is no longer an option; memust reach concrete agreements.

Security and development are two pillars of the UN’swork. We must make human rights our third pillar – notonly on the drawing board, but in reality, on the ground.This will require dedicated attention to the Human RightsCouncil, to ensure that it delivers on its promise, and

shines a spotlight on the darkest places in the world. Andit will require moving the Responsibility to Protect fromword to deed. We must build consensus among MemberStates about how we can make this concept operational,when a population is threatened with genocide, ethniccleansing, or crimes against humanity, and nationalauthorities fail to take appropriate action. I will appointa Special Advisor to move that process forward. I havealready appointed full-time Special Adviser for thePrevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.

If we are to meet the challenges before us, we mustput our own house in order. I am taking a range ofmeasures to strengthen our capacity, and change ourworking culture.

Peacekeeping is bearing the brunt of the escalatingdemands. The UN is engaged, in some form, in 18 peace-keeping operations inthe most difficult placesin the world. We nowhave a historic high ofalmost 100,000 per-sonnel in the field. Andwe are faced with abigger UN role in otherplaces – including andespecially Darfur. I amheartened that theGeneral Assembly hasnow approved my proposals to restructure the Sec-retariat, so as to strengthen our capacity to manage andsustain peace operations.

We are also striving to perform better in the areas ofdevelopment, humanitarian assistance and the envir-onment. We are following up on the far-reaching recom-mendations of the High-level Panel on System-wideCoherence, of which Gordon Brown was a key member,while he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. I hope we canbuild consensus among Member States to implementmany of the proposals. This is especially true of the re-commendation to strengthen our gender architecture,so that we can better empower and protect the rights ofwomen around the world.

In our humanitarian work, we are already workingovertime to anticipate natural and man-made disasters,so we can act before an emerging concern erupts into afull-blown crisis. We are ensuring sufficient and predict-able funding, and building up humanitarian leadership inthe field. Sir John Holmes of the UK, as our new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is providingdynamic leadership in moving forward on all these fronts.

Throughout the Organisation, it is not enough tostrengthen capacity alone. There is also a need tochange the working culture itself. That means building astaff that is truly mobile, multi-functional and account-able, with more emphasis on career development andtraining. And it means holding all UN employees to thehighest standards of integrity and ethical behaviour, bothat headquarters and in the field.

Despite its universal outreach, the United Nationscannot be in all places, nor provide a solution to everychallenge. But we can, and should, serve as a forum toset a global agenda and consensus. We can, and should– given the necessary political resolve – implement theclearly defined will of the international community. Wecan, and should, be visionary and pro-active.

In this, we need dialogue and patience, resourcesand reform – empowering us to serve the commongood, equipping us to do what we do best, from peace-keeping to development, from humanitarian work tohuman rights.

The Secretary-General addressed the Royal Institute of International Affairs at ChathamHouse, London on 11 July 2007 where he outlined the significant role the internationalorganisation has to play in world affairs. Excerpts from his speech follow.

Why the United Nations MattersToday – and Tomorrow

“

“

It is a world in whichthe UN can, and must,grow and take on newroles, develop anddeliver on new fronts.

The UN is engaged, insome form, in 18 peace-

keeping operationsin the most difficultplaces in the world.

We now have a historichigh of almost 100,000

personnel in the field.

We have to make realprogress on an issue Ibelieve defines ourcollective future, morethan any other: climatechange. Friends, I amconvinced that thischallenge, and what wedo about it, will defineus, our era, and ultimately,our global legacy.


A Close Shave!

Visitors to UNFICYP

As a result of seeing posters in the Ledra Palace,Sen. Insp. Vito Durec and Garda Siobhan Camp-bell noticed that raffle tickets were on sale to

raise funds for twin girls, born to LCpl. Craig Hudson ofthe British military based in Sector 2. The girls, Katieand Sophie, were born with “soft skull syndrome” andrequire specialised treatment with helmets to assist inthe formation of their bones.

Siobhan had in mind organising a charity event. Shealso noticed Vito had excess hair. The idea was formedbetween the two to organise a charity night where wewould find volunteers to participate in various hair-raising activities! This included having chest, bikini line,underarm and hair removal – on a man! One guy,Garda Paddy Guinan, agreed to a hair dye. Insp. MickCowley also consented to the removal of his moustache– something he has not done for 30 years. In fact, hiswife has never seen him clean-shaven!

They decided to adopt Craig’s appeal for help as thecharity for the night on 17 July. Close to 100 turned upfor the event which was held at the UNPOL club housein the UNPA. The event kicked off at 8.00 p.m. with theappearance of Briana (Garda Brian Crummey), Brenda(Sgt. Brendan Burke), Martha (Insp. Marco Ciampiniand Jezabel (Sgt. Jason MacArthur). The “girls” grandentrance generated a great response from theaudience, putting all in the mood to part with theirpennies, bidding on the scheduled activities.

Briana, the compare for the evening, started theproceedings with Paddy Guinan getting his hair dyed amellow yellow (should have been a blond). This wasfollowed by Alex Cuoghi, who volunteered to have hisunderarms (painfully) waxed by beauticians from theNicosia Ministry of Beauty salon, who offered theirservices free of charge. Then came Siobhan, who satquietly while Craig himself shaved away the first of hergolden locks. Goran Juric, during the head shave, paid£20, the highest bid, to shave away the last shred ofdignity. Once it was over, Siobhan said: “It was a smallsacrifice for the cause. I’m glad it’s growing back thickand fast!”

Marco got his bikini line waxed – an experience hewouldn’t want to go through again! As Marco said, “Ishall never expect my wife to do this again!” Mick gothis moustache shaved off – and it shaved about fiveyears off him! Vito was last, but never least! Auctioningtook place for the first and second wax strip here –Anne Byrne went first and paid £20 for the pleasure ofstanding above Vito in victory (photo). Paddy Guinanpaid £15 for the second strip, but had a number ofwarnings, almost gaining the red card, for attemptingto “drag out the pain”!

Lastly, a number of bottles from a kind donor wereauctioned off to the unsuspecting public, all in a goodcause!

The UNPOL bar donated half their earnings thatnight, which brought the total money raised to£C1,400. A cheque for the amount was handed over toCraig by Mick Cowley on 20 July at the UNPOL clubhouse.

Other events are taking place to continue raisingmoney for the twin girls’ treatment, including a raffle bySector 2, a pool party at Ledra Palace and a parachutejump by one of Craig’s colleagues. Anyone wishing todonate to this worthy cause should contact UNPOL’sGarda Siobhan Campbell on 99239362.

Siobhan losingher locks!

UNFICYP extended the usual courtesies when theChief of Mission, Force Commander and Chief ofStaff received the following visitors during themonth of July:6 July: Assistant Commissioner, Australian Federal

Police, Mr. Paul Jevtovic (top right)6 July: ETON College Military cadets (left)9 July: Chief Operations Argentinian Armed Forces

HQ, Brig. Gen. H.C. Trisano (top left)12 July: Deputy Director General of DG Enlarge-

ment of the European Commission, Mr. JanTruszczynski (top centre)

Aspis Pyla Football Club was founded in1957, and this year, they celebratedtheir 50th anniversary by securing pro-

motion to the sen ior divisions of the CypriotLeague. To mark the occasion, an open-airfunction was held in the village square on 22June where a presentation of the cup andmedals was held. In the true spirit ofcommunity policing, local UNPOL memberswere invited, and the majority attendedtogether with their families.

While membership of the club is pre-dominantly Greek Cypriot, the bicommunalnature of village life is reflected in the firstteam, which includes several Turkish Cypriots.The attendance on the night included mem-bers of both communities living in Pyla.

When the awards were being presented,special reference was made to “Aspis’s No. 1supporter, Sgt. Phil van Dissel,” an Australian UNPOLmember based in Pyla. Phil, together with his wife Viv,attended many of the team’s home and away gamesthis season. Phil and Viv were presented by the clubwith special mementos of the occasion.

Phil’s two sons, Daniel and Jack, play with Pyla’sschoolboy team and also received medals on the night.

Phil's contribution to the community in Pyla wassignificant, and as he leaves the mission this month, itis hoped that the good work he started in communityrelations will continue.

Pyla Football

FMPU Supports Training in Hungary

July 2007 saw Maj. Iain Watt, Provost Marshal andOfficer Commanding of the Force Military Police Unit(FMPU), together with the Sgt. Maj. FMPU, WO2

Mark Bent, provide training support to the HungarianPeace Support Training Centre (PSTC), Szolnok,Hungary.

PSTC delivers the bulk of Hungary’s training foroverseas missions in a modern, well equipped facility.Maj. Watt and WO2 Bent were hosted extremely wellby the PSTC training staff. In particular, Capt. RóbertNagy and Capt. Gábor Balogh, both veterans ofUNFICYP, ensured all necessary technical facilities andresources were provided.

At present, the Hungarian military does not have aprofessional cadre of military police from which to draw.This presents a significant training burden on UNFICYPwhen new personnel are posted to FMPU. The purposeof the visit was to conduct a “Train the Trainer” package,designed to give police-related training to Hungariansoldiers destined for employment with the FMPU priorto their arrival in Cyprus. Covering a rangeof topics from basic evidence awareness,jurisdiction and initial actions at a scene,the package was designed to supplementthe existing training undertaken by all thosedeploying to UNFICYP. The training staff atPSTC were left a series of lesson plans toassist in the delivery of future police-relatedtraining. Additionally, Maj. Watt gave acentral presentation to the 70 personnelcurrently undergoing training for UNFICYPon general discipline and differing roles ofUNPOL and FMPU.

The three days of intense training wererewarding as well as extremely useful forstudents and trainers alike. The schedulewas demanding, and the teaching was deli-vered in English with a view to lesson plansbeing translated into Hungarian at a later

date. Whilst the technical policing knowledge of thestudents was understandably limited, the enthusiasmand receptiveness to policing subjects was encoura-ging. The training package culminated in a MajorIncident Plan (MIP) exercise involving Crime Scenecordon and control and forensic evidence awareness.Whilst the exercise was aimed at a police response, theMIP procedures should be common practice to allmilitary and UNPOL within the mission.

Training evaluation was conducted by the Comman-dant PSTC, Col. Zoltán Mátyus, Maj. Watt and a numberof PSTC staff. All concluded the training was of greatvalue and highlighted the need for such training atPSTC to continue. This evaluation also identified someminor additional training needs, most notably a re-quirement to conduct future policing training during thePSTC final exercise phase. This would involve deliver-ing MIP and Major Crime Scene management, not onlyto the intended FMPU assets, but to all Hungarianpeacekeepers destined for UNFICYP.

Phil (right) with “Aspis” team members and UNPOL supporters

Trainers and students

Camp Command assistant Jonathan Vatikiotismarried his childhood sweetheart Niki Wilkinsonat the Ayios Stylianos Orthodox church in Nicosia

on 15 July.Approximately 300 people attended the church

ceremony, and 1,000 family, friends and colleaguesarrived for the cocktail reception later in the evening.Many of the guests flew in from the UK, as well asGreece, Italy and Lebanon.

Recounting his “big day”, Jonathan says, “Every-thing was running according to plan, up until the timeI was to leave for the church. Suddenly, I realised Icouldn’t find the marriage licence required for theceremony to take place.” No amount of searching ledto any result, so an emergency call to the Archbishop-ric explaining the situation and a sympathetic ear onthe other end solved the problem – Niki and Jonathanreceived special licence to marry on the day, providedthey submitted the licence within 24 hours. A dayafter the wedding party, Jonathan woke up and said: “I

bet it’s in the basement!” Sure enough, it was.Strangely enough, it was Niki’s parents who put itthere in the clean-up before the wedding.

Once the legalities had been sorted, the happycouple flew off to Prague for their honeymoon.

The proud father-in-law, Chris Wilkinson, is aformer UNFICYP staff member and is currently postedto UNIFIL, Lebanon.


SportNew Faces

Early on the morning of 16 June, 84 runners fromSectors 1, 2 and 4, the MFR, UN Flight and HQUNFICYP met for the start of a buffer zone cross-

country running competition organised by Sector 1.The relay race, which commenced at 6.30 a.m.,

started at Patrol Base 32, located near AstromeritisVillage, and ended in San Martín Camp. Designed totest the stamina and determination of all competitors,the competition was run as a team event over a stretchof 27 km divided into three legs, each a distance ofapproximately 9 km. There were two categories, oneopen and the other for “veterans” (+35 years old).Results are as follows:Veterans (+ 35)1st Place: Team 2C (Sector 2): 2 hrs 10 min 08 sec2nd Place: Team 6B (HQ UNFICYP) 2 hrs 13 min 47 sec3rd Place: Team 1A (Sector 1) 2 hrs 20 min 25 secOpen1st Place: Team 1B (Sector 1) 1 hr 56 min 12 sec2nd Place: Team 2A (Sector 2) 2 hrs 01 min 23 sec3rd Place: Team 2B (Sector 2) 2 hrs 01 min 36 sec

The event was planned, organised and supported byArgentinian Contingent members, who provided medi-cal assistance, water stations and air coverage alongthe entire route.

Congratulations to all teams – every competitorreached the finish line!

Eight soldiers from Sector 2 participated in a 24-hour swim in the Ledra Palace pool on 30 July. Cpl.Paul King and his team from 2 Section, West Troop,

8 Transport Regiment swam for a continuous 24 hourscompleting an impressive 2,207 lengths – the equivalentof 35.7 miles. In doing so, they raised approximately£500 for the Lindsey Lodge Hospice in the UK.

As Cpl. King explained: “When my grandfather wasill, he was cared for at the Lindsey Lodge, as is the casefor terminally ill patients such as those with motorneurone disease and multiple sclerosis. They rely ondonations of approximately £1.5 a year, so we thoughtthat anything we could do to help would be worthwhile.”

The 24-hour swimathon was not the immediate choicefor the boys of 2 Section. Cpl. King said: “We have onelad who can barely swim, although he is learning, so hetied a buoyancy aid around his waist like a sumo wrest-ler’s underpants and paddled himself along!”

All eight soldiers managed to get through the night,with a little support from the Regiment’s CO, Lt. Col.Keith Robinson, and the RSM WO1 Andy Simpson

One of the team, Pte. Rokotovitovi said: “The hardest

point was staying awake at around 4.00 a.m. when wewere watching the person in the water for safety’s sake.

The team hopes to present a cheque to the charity onreturn to the UK in October, together with a photo of teammembers as follows: Cpl. Paul King, LCpl. David Walker,Pte. Semi Rokotovitovi, Pte. Peter Coulson, Pte. Fred Hirst,Pte. Jay Hammond, Pte. Alan Reid and Pte. Michael Ryan.

UNdiplomatic Victory!

24-Hour Charity Swimathon

From the Pampas to the Patagonia

Alan Craven arrived in UNFICYPon 21 June 2007 to take up theposition of Chief Communica-

tions and Information TechnologySection, replacing Mr. Robert Walker.

Alan has worked with UNMOGIPand UNTSO in the capacity of ChiefCITS prior to joining UNFICYP. Hejoined the UN in 1989 and has servedin special missions including Namibia,Afghanistan, Somalia and Haiti.

Alan is British and previously servedwith UNFICYP many, many years ago(late 70's/early 80's) as a Blue Beretin the now defunct 254 Signals

Squadron. He now works 50 metersfrom where he did 27 years ago –he's come a long way!

He is accompanied by his wife,Eija, from Finland. They met in Kabul,Afghanistan in the early 90’s whereEija was serving as a Red Crossnurse. They have two children, James(five) and Ella (three).

Alan’s hobbies include squash and,more recently, golf. He is looking for-ward to the challenges of the job inUNFICYP, and the family hopes totake full advantage of the opportuni-ties of living in Cyprus.

Musa Hadzimehmedi arrivedin UNFICYP on 1 July 2007 totake up the position of Infor-

mation Management Assistant inCITS.

Musa, who was born in Djakovica,Kosovo, comes from Belgrade. Hestudied Civil Engineering at PristinaUniversity, but switched to IT in1994.

Musa joined the United Nations in1999 and has so far worked with

UNMIK, UNTAET, ICTR and ONUCI,prior to joining UNFICYP.

Musa is married to Claudia Mar-cela Macias from Argentina. Claudiais coming to join Musa in August fora brief visit. She will be relocating tothe island in December. Claudia iscurrently working as a UNV inONUCI’s Legal Office.

Musa’s hobbies include travelling,music and playing the guitar, whichhe hopes to find time for in Cyprus!

Capt. Michael Solonynko is fromCalgary, Alberta, Canada. A gra-duate of Alberta University, he

gained a B.A. in Psychology in 1988,and a Human Resource ManagementCertificate in 1995.

He first joined the Canadian In-fantry in 1982, but left the military in1998 to work as a Certified HumanResources professional in Canada'spetroleum industry.

In 2002, Michael returned to the

Army. He completed a tour in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2003, and was the G2for Land Force Western Area. Mostrecently, Michael graduated from theCanadian Land Force Command andStaff College before being posted toOperations Branch at HQ UNFICYP.

Michael is joined by his wife Lisa,and 12-year-old son Ryan. His hob-bies include include cross-countryskiing, so look out for him on his rollerskis on the airstrip runway!

Afive-a-side football tournament took place withteams from the UNDP, the British High Commis-sion, the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

the Presidential Palace. The location was the footballpitch located behind Cyprus College in Nicosia.

Local TV stations covered the first two matchesplayed on 22 June, as well as the final which wascontested the next day between UNDP and the Ministryof Foreign Affairs teams.

The match was won by UNDP, who were awarded atrophy and medals for their efforts. All participants andspectators thoroughly enjoyed the competition, duringwhich friendly sportmanship was demonstratedthroughout.

Jonathan’s New Command!

Medical assistancealong the route

2 Section, West Troop,about to begin

Congratulations,Jonathan and Niki!

UNFICYPassists inpilgrimages

Fires rage buffer zone - unmissions.org

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