An Australian female politician seems to be the most favoured choice for the succession of the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative and head of the UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar.

Spehar leaves her post at the end of September. She has served as the head of the UN mission in Nicosia for five years.

The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) has learned that Nicosia has already given its consent for the appointment of the Australian politician. The name of Spehar’s successor is expected to be announced by the end of this month, probably while President Nicos Anastasiades, will be in New York, where he will participate in the UN General Assembly and have a meeting with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

Spehar is expected to hold separate meetings with Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, before leaving.

Meanwhile, invited by CNA to comment on the information published in the media on Sunday, about ideas on the Cyprus problem put forward by the British, a well-informed source said that the UK did submit some proposals which Nicosia considered as unacceptable as they were vague on certain issues, something that would allow the other side to promote its position for sovereign rights, two states etc.

The same source noted, however, that diplomatic efforts continue with a view to finding common ground that will allow the resumption of the negotiations and recalled that the UNSG will hold separate meetings later this month, in New York, with Anastasiades and Tatar.

Asked about reports in daily Kathimerini about a letter Anastasiades sent recently to the UNSG, the same source told CNA that it was sent at the end of August and that the president expresses his readiness to participate in a trilateral meeting in New York (Guterres, Anastasiades and Tatar) “as we consider that it will facilitate the process”. He also reiterates that a Cyprus settlement must be based on the UN resolutions, the High-Level Agreements, the EU acquis etc.

“What is important is that we expressed in writing, as well, our will to participate in a trilateral meeting,” the same source concluded.