safeguarding the cultural heritage of cyprus...editorial team josé díaz miriam taylor netha...

Safeguarding theSafeguarding thecultural heritagecultural heritageof Cyprus of Cyprus

February/March 2009 - The Blue Beret2 February/March 2009 - The Blue Beret 3

THE BLUE BERETPublished monthly by the:

Public Information OfficeUnited Nations Force in CyprusHQ UNFICYPPO Box 216421590 NicosiaCyprus

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

[email protected]:www.unficyp.org

Editorial Team

José DíazMiriam TaylorNetha KreouzosSSgt. Andrej Milovčík (Photographer)Capt. Tomas Pavlik

Unit Press Officers

Sector 1 Maj. Julian Gonzalez Sector 2 Maj. Susan AitkenSector 4 Capt. Marian FilipMFR Lt. Jonathan FranklingUNPOL Garda John KennedyUN Flt Lt. Juan FernandezFMPU Maj. Robert Schütz

The Blue Beret is UNFICYP’s in-housejournal. Views expressed are of the au-thors concerned, and do not neces-sar-ily conform with official policy.

Articles of general interest (plus photoswith captions) are invited from all mem-bers of the Force.

Copyright of all material is vested in UNpublications, but may be repro-ducedwith the Editor’s permission.

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Front Cover: Safeguarding the cultural heritage of Cyprus.

Back Cover: Pupils dance to Cypriot folk music at event on cultural heritage.

ContentsEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Preserving the Past to Build the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Bridging the Divide with Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5Territorial Army Peacekeeping Deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7Talat visits CMP Laboratory/Speedy Reaction Key to Safety . . . .8The Humanitarian Dimension of Migration and Asylum . . . . .9/10Point the way towards a greener future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Bicommunal Art Exhibition/Australian Bushfires . . . . . . . . . . .11UNFICYP Medal Parades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13HQ Engineer Platoon on track/Force Commander’s Commendation

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14New Vehicals Join UNFICYP Fleet/Lucky, the MFR Mascot . . . . .15Sports/Strongman Competition/Police commissioners meet inNew York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Xenios Scores a Bullseye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Two Rear Admirals in the service of peace/Humanitarian initia-tive/Recycling in the UNPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18New Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

EditorialJust over one year ago, hopes for a solution in Cyprus gota tremendous boost when preparations began for a newround of peace talks between the leaders of the island’smain communities. Spring 2008 brought renewal notonly in nature, but also in a long-stagnant peace process.Spring 2009 sees tempered popular enthusiasm about theongoing negotiations, but no less interest from Cypriotsand an international community eager to see one ofcontemporary history’s most intractable problems finallysolved. As of this writing, Greek Cypriot leader DemetrisChristofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talatare moving from a discussion of questions related to howthe European Union’s laws and regulations would apply ina future united Cyprus, to matters connected to theeconomy post-settlement.

With almost all the attention focused on the negotiations,it is easy to forget that UNFICYP and the UN familycontinue to work to maintain peace on the island, bringCypriots from across the divide together, help preserveCyprus’ cultural heritage and assist vulnerable people. Inthis issue of Blue Beret we have stories touching on allthose aspects of the work of the UN family here, as wellas some more personal notes on life in our particular“community”. From facilitating the activities of the bi-communal committee working to preserve the island’smany monuments and traditions to drawing attention tothe plight of people fleeing their countries to leading byexample in the area of environmental conservation,members of the UN team have been keeping quite busyin the past year.

In this issue we also have a story on the British TerritorialArmy unit that has just ended its duty with UNFICYP.We’d like to take this opportunity to bid goodbye to all thepeacekeepers who “rotated” out of Cyprus in the lastweeks of March and thank them for a job well done.

Preserving the Past to Build the Future

The Cyprus peace process has many facets,including joint efforts to preserve the is-land’s historical legacy. The Technical

Committee on Cultural Heritage is one such ini-tiative.The Committee was set up last in April last year aspart of measures to usher in peace talks. In its yearof operation has been active in the protection andpreservation of the island’s heritage. The panel hasalso identified ways of fostering mutual understand-ing, tolerance and awareness of the rich cultural di-versity of the island particularly among the youngergenerations of the two communities.

“We believe that respect for the preservationof cultural and religious sites is an integral part of theongoing process of improving relations between theTurkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots,” according tothe group’s mission statement.“It is our firm belief that only when we look at diver-sity and equality of cultures as a source of strengthand only when we embrace the view that individualcultures genuinely prosper and progress when theycome into contact with other cultures then we can saythat the tide in Cyprus has inexorably turned infavour of peace and reconciliation.”

The Committee’s decisions include the compi-lation of the entire list of immovable cultural heritageof Cyprus. An ad hoc working group was establishedand has already started its work to create a completelist of immovable cultural heritage on the island.The Committee has also decided to start two restora-tion pilot projects, namely the Arnavut Mosque andthe Archangel Michael Church. A working group com-prising Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot experts hasbeen established to undertake the preliminary studiesand prepare the budget estimation for that initiative.Within the framework of promoting intercultural edu-

cation as a means of fostering mutual understanding,tolerance and awareness of the rich cultural diversityof the island the committee has also decided to createan educational interactive programme that would givethe opportunity to the younger generation of TurkishCypriots and Greek Cypriots to learn about each otherand the cultural heritage of the island (see followingpage).

The Committee has agreed to establish amechanism, namely “The Advisory Board for Preser-vation, Physical Protection and Restoration of Immov-able Cultural Heritage of Cyprus” for the protection ofcultural heritage on both sides of the island. TheSpecial Representative of Secretary-General and headof UNFICYP, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, announced, on be-half of the leaders of the two communities, the deci-sion to set up the Board on 28 January 2009.The Advisory Board will provide a mutually acceptablemechanism for the implementation of practical meas-ures for the proper maintenance, preservation, physi-cal protection and restoration of immovable culturalheritage of Cyprus. The mechanism would allow forthe practical aspects of preservation to be consideredin a non-political manner so that practical measurescan be taken to improve the situation on the ground. Taking a hands-on approach, the Committee has un-dertaken a number of site visits to monuments of cul-tural importance on both sides of the island,identifying possible projects that the Advisory Boardcould take up. One such visit was to the old part ofFamagusta, on 10 March, where Committee membersinspected the historical monuments of the medievaland Ottoman periods.

By Netha Kreouzos

Members of the Technical Committee on CulturalHeritage on a visit to the walled city of Famagusta

The work of the Technical Committee on CulturalHeritage includes activities like its visit toDroshias High School in Larnaca on 18 March,

part of the group’s awareness programme involvingschools in both communities.At the event, titled “Culture, a Bridge for Reconcilia-tion of Peoples,” the Technical Committee’s co-chair-men introduced students and teachers to their work,stressing the importance of Cyprus’ cultural heritagenot only for the island’s future generations but forEurope and the world.

They were followed by a musical performanceby Greek Cypriot composer and singer Adamos Kat-santonis and Turkish Cypriot composer and singerYiltan Tasci. The two musicians, who have collabo-rated on several CD’s with pro-peace songs as wellas traditional Cypriot folk songs, performed in Greekand Turkish. The pupils enthusiastically receivedtheir songs for peace, but it was the traditionalCypriot folk songs that got the pupils on their feetand dancing together with the two singers. Inspector for Secondary Education Panayiotis Mavrossaid the event promoted the target of the EducationMinistry for the current school year, which is to cre-ate a culture of reconciliation and cooperation withTurkish Cypriots for the reunification of the island.He said, “Droshias High School and its teachers arethe torch and road map for all those who hesitate in promoting this goal.” “In great struggles there are always a few that pio-neer the way because it is not easy to see the lightin the dark. Droshias Gymnasium certainly is a pio-neer in this struggle for the good of all,” Mavrossaid.Greek Cypriot co-Chairman Takis Hadjidemetriou,said visiting the school is within the mandate of thecommittee and particularly the objective that refersto cultivating a climate of mutual respect for the cul-tural heritage of Cyprus by all its residents inde-pendent of race or religion.“The issue of culture is an ethical and spiritual oneand involves everybody. Even more so because weare accountable to future generations and humanityas a whole,” he said

Hadjidemetriou said what we destroyed wemust rebuild together in a spirit of mutual respectand common effort. “It is in this spirit that the tech-nical committee operates. We have started certainprojects to save cultural heritage and in the near fu-ture have a programme to restore Byzantine and Ot-toman monuments that need immediateintervention,” he said.

Addressing the students, Turkish Cypriot co-Chairman Fuat Azimli pointed out that the heritagethat survives from the past is often unique and irre-placeable, which places responsibility of preservationon the current generation. “The cultural heritage ofCyprus emanates from diverse and rich cultures andcivilizations which have populated the islandthroughout history and it is this common heritage ofhumanity regardless of origin which should be pre-served and protected,” he said. “As a Committee, webelieve that respect for preservation of cultural and

religious sites is an integral part of the ongoingprocess of improving relations between the TurkishCypriots and Greek Cypriots,” he said.Azimli also outlined the key decisions taken by thecommittee to date which include the compilation of acomplete list of the island’s cultural heritage, tworestoration pilot projects and the decision to estab-lish an Advisory Board for the Preservation, PhysicalProtection and Restoration of Immovable CulturalHeritage.

The Technical Committee is also planning avisit in the near future to a Turkish Cypriot HighSchool to present their work and promote greaterawareness of the two communities’ shared culturalheritage.

By Netha Kreouzos


Bridging the Divide with Culture

Photos by Christos Theodorides

Pupils at Droshias High School in Larnaca attendevent on Cyprus’ cultural heritage

Fuat Azimli

Takis Hadjidemetriou

Inspector Panayiotis Mavrou dances with pupils.

Musicians Yıltan Taşçı (left) and Adamos Katsan-

tonis perform peace and traditional folk songs.


For the first time since taking over responsibilityof the buffer zone area of Nicosia in 1993, all ofthe British contingent’s peacekeepers in Sector

2 have been drawn from the Territorial Army TA).British TA soldiers are volunteers who undergo mili-tary training in their spare time either as part of aformed local unit or as specialists in a professionalfield. TA members have a minimum commitment toserve 27 training days peryear, with specialists onlyrequired to serve 19 days.Members of the TA have afull-time job or career,which in some cases pro-vides skills and expertisethat are directly transfer-able to a specialist militaryrole, such as NationalHealth Service employeesserving in TA Army MedicalServices units.

However, this is thefirst time the TA has beendeployed to a peacekeep-ing mission on its ownrather than as an attach-ment to a regular unit. All TA personnel have theircivilian jobs protected to alimited extent by law shouldthey be compulsorily mo-bilised.

The UNFICYP tour is considered compulsorymobilisation.The idea of deploying part time or“weekend soldiers” to a peacekeeping missionsparked concerns that they would not have the re-quired skills and experience to deal with potentiallyvolatile situations that may arise while on peace-keeping duty. Even though Cyprus is considered a“peaceful mission”, it nonetheless has a 180kmbuffer zone running across the island separating twoopposing forces that needs to be patrolled. UNFICYPalso supports the fullest possible resumption of nor-mal civilian activity in the buffer zone and to thisend, it facilitates the resumption of farming in thebuffer zone where safe, and assists both communi-ties on matters related to the supply of electricity

and water across the lines. Any incident that arisesmust be quickly and efficiently dealt with, without al-lowing tensions to escalate. Many TA peacekeepersargue that their civilian life experiences and bettercommunication skills equip them to deal with civiliancommunities in a less antagonistic manner and thusswiftly defuse any tensions.LCPL Jules Smith, whohas been in the TA for the last seven years, studiedpolitics at University. In civilian life she works as aNational Health Service clinic coordinator. This isseemingly far removed from life as a soldier andbeing a section commander of a troop that patrols abuffer zone between two opposing forces. Not ac-cording to Smith, however.

“The roles are not that dissimilar,” she says.“As clinic coordinator I have to organize clinics andarrange schedules’ ensuring everyone is where theyare supposed to be when they are supposed to be.Here I am a section commander where I am lookingafter people, organising them, making sure they arewhere they are supposed to be when they are sup-posed to be there. Obviously, patrolling the bufferzone is very different, but I enjoy it because I amnot stuck in an office all day.”

Certain duties may seem monotonous attimes, but it is important to look at the bigger pic-ture, she says, giving the example of the tasks theyare assigned during the meetings of the two Cypriotleaders in the United Nations Protected Area on analmost weekly basis. “It may appear the same eachtime, but when you think about what it is we are ac-tually doing - securing the environment for peace

talks to moveforward - we area small cog in abig wheel.”

While her de-gree in politicswas never muchuse in her civil-ian life, shesays, here as apeacekeeper ithas helped herunderstand thecomplexities ofthe Cyprusproblem. Smithadmits that reg-ular soldiersmay be moredisciplined onthe “soldiering”

side. But, sheadds, the advan-

tages of the TA soldiers are that they have life expe-riences but also better communication skillsparticularly in dealing with the public.

There is also greater understanding of what itmeans to be a UN peacekeeper, she says. “We un-derstand the negative impact of excessive force oran aggressive stance towards the civilian population–- for instance, going into full battle gear to face thecivilian population when there is no real risk.” Com-menting on how the UN brings together to work forpeace soldiers from different nations that may havein the past fought one another, like the British andthe Argentineans, she says this has helped changedmany of her own fellow soldiers views. “Many peoplehad opinions before coming because of the historybetween the two nations with the Falklands, but

when they were actually working with the Argen-tineans a lot of people’s opinions changed as therehasn’t been any animosity,” she says. “I think peo-ple thought it will be them against us, but it hasn’tbeen that at all, quite the opposite.” Lt Neil Bowdler,38 is a veteran of the TA having been a part of it forthe last 21 years.His experience in Cyprus has beenunique he says and has given him new skills that hecan take back to his civilian job as an environmentalproject manager for a local authority – dealing withwaste services including recycling.

Bowdler says his role as an officer in the TAgoes hand in hand with his civilian job as a manager.“The one complements the other. A good officer canbring to his military responsibilities, his civilianskills,” he said adding that this tour of duty has fur-ther enhanced his skills. Bowdler refers to an every-day example of customer complaints he deals with inhis civilian job, noting that the way he defuses ten-sions or resolves issues can bebrought into the military side ofthings when dealing with a poten-tially tense situation. His militaryexperience here has also taughthim something he will take back tohis civilian job, which is to makecertain you have the whole picturebefore taking any action. Stoppingto think and getting all the factsfirst because any action will have areaction or consequence to the mis-sion as a whole.

Bowdler says it will be amemorable tour of duty not onlybecause he served as a UN peace-keeper with the first TA contingent,but also because he took the oppor-tunity to get married. His wife Clareflew to Cyprus while he was onrecreational leave for a small wed-ding in Paphos. CPL Neil Gribbinworks for computer giant DELL as aproject manager. He says his em-ployer was quite happy to release

him for TA duties. He says Cyprus is unlike previ-ous tours of duty, during which, in many in-stances, he was in a direct conflict zone. Gribbinhas served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovoand Iraq. He believes the edge the soldiers fromthe TA have over their regular army counterpartsis their maturity and life experiences which enablethem to have a broader outlook. Gribbin says hewould consider returning if he was asked to andwould definitely recommend it.

Signaller Stephani Morris, 21 has been in theTA for three years and says she initially joined be-cause she was looking for new experiences and achallenge where she could test her limits. In civil-ian life she is a personal assistant for a mortgag-ing outsourcing company in Glasgow. Heremployer was impressed that she was part of theTA she says and understood that the time-keep-ing, teamwork and other skills from her militarylife would enhance her efficiency and were a ben-efit to her civilian job. Morris says by being in theTA she has the best of both worlds. As a peace-keeper it has been a whole new experience forher where she has been patrolling the buffer zoneon foot in the day and at night in a vehicle.

Kingsman Jason Lewicki is an insurance brokerwho with his over 10 years experience in the fieldwas not easily parted with by his employers; how-ever they were obliged to let him go as the TA de-ployment to Cyprus was a compulsory mobilisation.Also as his civilian pay is higher than what he wouldreceive in the army, the Ministry of Defence matchedhis civilian salary so that he does not lose out.Lewicki says although being in the TA can be seen asa part-time soldier, he points out that it is no less se-rious than being in the regular army. The members of the TA’s 32 Signal Regiment Group,which wrapped its six-month tour in Cyprus at theend of March, agree that their experience hasdemonstrated the value of a diversity of skills inpeacekeeping duties.

By Netha Kreouzos

1Territorial Army Peacekeeping Deployment

st

LCPL Jules Smith (left) CPL Neil Gribbin(right)

Lt Neil Bowdler and his bride Clare

Signaller Stephani Morris (centre) flanked by her fellow TA Peacekeepers


The situation of migrants and asylumseekers is becoming increasingly topicalin Cyprus.

Leaving your country by force is undoubtedly a se-verely traumatizing experience, especially when theloss of close family members or friends is involved.Added to this are the anxieties of facing the unknown,especially when you have to flee without documents,entrusting your hopes for the future to someone youdon’t know -- often a smuggler -- and taking the riskof being injured or even killed. The testi-monies of people on the move, includingrefugees, who have survived againstgreat odds show that this trau-matic experience can leave in-delible marks. 0rganizations like theCouncil of Europe and UN-HCR have consistentlypointed to the need toaddress through a con-structive dialogue withall parties involved – in-cluding government of-ficials and the police –the humanitarian dimen-sion of this phenomenon.The humanitarian dimen-sion, which is often ob-scured by the debate over“illegal migration”, is illus-trated by the case of two Iraqifamilies that made the news inCyprus last December. Fleeing persecution and insecurity in Iraq,they came to Cyprus to seek a safe life. While cross-ing the UN-controlled buffer zone, they were injuredby landmines. The first accident at the beginning ofDecember involved a family of five. The fatherstepped on a landmine that blew off part of his rightfoot; fragments from the explosion injured his four-year-old son, his wife and one other child. Two weeks later another accident, again involving anIraqi family, cost a man his right foot. As is always thecase, behind the headlines and dry facts about peoplecrossing irregularly from the north to the south, thereare personal stories of tragedy, courage, and compas-sion. “When the mine went off, at first I realized noth-ing”, said Ali, 35 years old.“I thought that it was thepolice firing at us in order to arrest us; it was only af-ter a while that I started feeling the pain and seeingthe endless blood pouring from my foot which openedup completely”. Ali, a Palestinian from Iraq, recountedhis own horror as if he was describing a film. Ali wasdumped by a smuggler somewhere in the buffer zone,

only to be collected later on by the police, whichtransferred him to hospital in Larnaca. There the doc-tors had to amputate his leg. “It could have beenworse… I could be dead now,” he whispers, and hugshis three year old boy who plays with his red car, hisonly toy. Similarly, Mr. Said*, 52 from Iraq, had thecourage to put a plastic bag around his injured leg un-til the time the smuggler transferred him and the fam-ily to the hospital (and then disappeared). Mr. Said’sright foot has been saved. Ali is already undergoingphysiotherapy and he will soon be getting an artificial

leg. Said is still undergoing medical treat-ment for his injured heel. He has to

keep his leg raised all day andnight until he is able to walk

again. “The doctors told meit will take one year,” he

said. Both families arethankful to the Govern-ment.The Ministry ofHealth, abiding by itslegal obligations to-wards refugees, cov-ered the expenses forspecial treatment atthe private hospital inorder to save Said’sleg. A Cypriot parlia-

mentarian has visitedSaid and his family.

When doctors decided toamputate his leg because

the particular treatmentneeded to save his leg was not

available at the hospital, the law-maker intervened with the Government

in order to transfer Said to a private hospital. Saidand his family are also receiving invaluable help fromtwo Cypriots: a priest in Larnaca and a 65-year-oldman in Limassol who prefers to remain anonymous.Father P, a Christian Orthodox priest brought up inJerusalem, recalls that when he first met him at thehospital, Said was very weak and suffering from lowmorale. “Now, after the operation, he has regained hisself-confidence and he hopes again,” said Father P,who speaks Arabic and who continues to visit the fam-ily. “What they need from us is to show them love”,said Father P. “They need to feel that they are wel-comed that they have someone to share their fears, tofeel they are not alone”. Father P assists many other Arabic speakers as well;he translates for patients at the hospital, he escortsparents at Greek-speaking schools who wish to findmore about their children’s progress and he is readyto assist in any other way. For Father P, helping peoplein need regardless of their religion should come

UNFICYP’s Mobile Force Reserve is the mis-sions “rapid response unit”. Lt Merrittrecounts an incident that demonstrates how

the MFR help’s keep the UN family safe.

“The Mobile Force Reserve was alerted on 15 Janu-ary at 11.50 a.m. that a white vehicle had been spot-ted near the old Airport Road with the driver collapsedover the wheel of his vehicle .

“Immediately, the Joint Operations Centre(JOC)wasinformed and the MFR’s Quick Reaction Force was dis-patched to the scene, along with the UNFICYP medicalteam and ambulance. The JOC then alerted the ForceMilitary Police Unit, which immediately detailed two po-lice officers to cordon off the scene while the UN Sen-ior Fire Officer was also dispatched to the scene in linewith Road Traffic Accident guidelines.

“The medical team gave the driver emergencytreatment before transferring him by UN Ambulance tothe local hospital. It was subsequently learnt that thedriver, had suffered a heart attack and required a week-long stay in hospital.

“The MFR QRF, UN Ambulance and the MFR Duty Of-ficer’s reactions to the incident followed agreed proce-dures for such situations. The QRF split into two teams,cordoning off the area and diverting traffic whilst look-ing for any suspicious causes to the accident. “ T h eDuty Officer assisted the duty medic in establishing thecause of the injured casualty’s problem and providedimmediate first aid. Situation Reports of the nature ofthe incident and the exact map grid location were pro-vided by the Duty Officer to the guardroom and JOC.

“The JOC Duty Officer was therefore able to find the

incident scene and take photographs of what had hap-pened in case of further investigations.

“On arrival of the FMPU, details of the incident andthe patient’s condition were passed to the Military Po-lice Officers, who then took charge of the situation.

“The patient’s car was secured by Force Military Po-lice Unit and the key held at the Military Police Stationuntil he was well enough to recover the vehicle.

“The incident is an excellent example of how thevarious departments and teams within UNPA all worktogether to deal with incidents and ensure the safe andsecure running of the camp and wider UN community.”

The Humanitarian Dimension of Migrationand Asylum

The problem of the missing is a humanitarianissue and not a political one to be exploited,Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said after

visiting the Anthro pological Laboratory of the Com -mittee on Missing Persons in the United NationsProtected Area of the old Nicosia International Airporton 23 February 2009.

Talat said that the missing per sons issue has beenin the spotlight for some time and that he is con stantlytrying to keep it separate from politics. “The TurkishCypriot side is doing whatever it can to support thisprogramme,” said Talat. “And to prove it, we have

carried out this visit. As you know, this is ahumanitarian issue and we will not exploit it politically.We have suc ceed ed in this and through this success,the programme is doing well.”

The Turkish Cypriot side, he added, supportsefforts to find and identify the missing persons by con -tributing money and manpower, while a large part ofthe excavations have taken place in the north. “TheTurkish Cypriot side will continue to support efforts tofind out what happened to the missing persons, bothmaterially and morally,” said Talat. “I won’t say thatan end will be given to the pain of those who lost theirrelatives, but we feel that we must do what isnecessary so these people can at least find peace andwe will all work in this direc tion.”

During his visit Talat donated $50,000 towards thework of the CMP.

A statement issued by the CMP points out that thislatest donation will contribute to the ongoingimplementation of the CMP project on theExhumation, Identification and Return of Remains ofMissing Persons in Cyprus.

The CMP is striving to locate, exhume, identify andreturn the remains of as many individuals as possiblein order to bring an end to the painful uncertaintywhich has affected so many families for so manyyears.

To date, the remains of over 486 missing personshave been exhu med, while 136 have been identifiedand returned to the families concerned.

Speedy Reaction Key to Safety

Talat Visits CMP Laboratory

H.E Mehmet Ali Talat (second right) with CMP mem-bers Elias Georgiades(far right), Gülden PlümerKüçük (second left) and Christophe Girod.

naturally. He sees it as obligation towards his fellow human beings. “In the sameway I, a Christian, was welcomed and well treated by Muslim people in Jerusalem,it’s now my turn, as a good Christian and a human being, to reciprocate.” MrGeorge, a pensioner, said he had heard about Ali’s case the day his mother – arefugee from Asia Minor – died. “I felt like caring for a person in need, which Ithought of as a gift for the soul of my mother,” he said. The old man now oftentravels over from Limassol to visit his new Palestinian friends inn Larnaca. Hewants to help and has opened a bank account for the family, depositing moneyeach month to help them get by. And he thinks to the future, examining the pos-sibility of vocational training for Ali, which would allow him to once more be-come a breadwinner. “We had a very good life once in Iraq: job, house, car,friends, but we had to leave everything behind and go,” says Said who decided

to leave only when a car bomb he believed was targeting him killed his 16-year-olddaughter instead. “From that moment on, I realized that Iraq is over for me and the rest of my fam-

ily,” he says, before bursting into tears. Similarly Ali recalls the good times back in Iraq, but discrimination andconstant threats and killings of Palestinians by insurgent groups left him without any other option than to flee.Paying the smuggler $20,000 was the only way out, the two families felt. Indeed, this is the reality for manyasylum seekers, who in the absence of any legal means to seek refuge in another country resort to unscrupu-lous smugglers. Both Ali and Said express the same wish for their families: a good education for their children,health and a life of peace. They say the solidarity they have experienced so far in Cyprus gives the reason tohope for a dignified life. Practical support from society is welcomed and encouraged, of course, but it can onlycomplement – not replace – governmental obligations, including help in rehabilitation and reintegration.

*changed for protection reasonsUNHCR Representation in Cyprus, Februaty 2009

The Humanitarian Dimension of Migrationand Asylum (continued)


Parked outside UNHCR’s office in UNFICYP’s BlueBeret Camp is a brand new black Toyota Prius –the first hybrid vehicle in a UNHCR fleet

numbering several thou sand vehicles around theworld. The acquisition of the fuel-efficient vehicleunder lines the office’s desire to take an active role inraising aware ness on environmental issues – cuttingharmful pollution while saving on fuel bills, accordingto the refugee agency’s representative in Cyprus.

“ Choosing a hybrid car for its transportation needs,the Cyprus Representation aims not only at reducingits environmental footprint but also serve as anexample for public and private vehicle procurement,” –said Cristina Planas.

“Although the current generation of hybrid vehiclescannot be used in all locations where UNHCR operates,they are a real alternative for our offices in urbanlocations,” said Goran Stojanovski, a supply officer inUNHCR’s Supply Management Service in Budapest.And the choice of hybrid models available is expandingrapidly.

Hybrid cars use both a traditional petrol-poweredengine and an electric motor powered by a battery.Since the battery is continuously recharged by thepetrol engine, a hybrid car does not need to be pluggedinto a power source like an all-elecric vehicle.

Typically a hybrid car will use the electric motoraround town and at low speeds – or to give additionalpower for acceleration and climbing a hill – while thepetrol motor is used for longer, faster journeys. When

braking or coasting to a stop, the hybrid’s electricmotor produces electricity that is stored in its battery.

Since hybrid cars are at the forefront of technology,incorporating the latest developments, theyincorporate the latest safety and comforts as well asproducing fewer emissions and slashing fuel bills.

The carbon-dioxide emissions by the model boughtby the Cyprus office are about 55 percent less thanother cars of the same class equipped with emissions-control devices. Reducing the production of carbondioxide is essential to slowing climate change.

The Chief Executives Board for Coordination, whichgroups the heads of all the UN agencies, hascommitted to making the United Nations climateneutral, first by reducing emissions and then throughcarbon off-set mechanisms.

Mr Kypros Kyprianou, UNHCR driver

Pointing the Way to a Greener Future

The mission’s new UN Police officers turned theirtraditional “Mug In”, or informal induction, on 13March into an occasion to collect funds for victims

of the recent brushfires in Australia, raising …. Members of the Australian UN Police Contingent scram-bled just a few days before the “Mug In”, selling ticketsand hunting for objects that could be raffled or auc-tioned to raise money. They got a good response fromall UN police, as well as the military and civilian staff ofUNFICYP. In addition, the general community donatedboth funds and gifts generously.

The Australian High Commission in Cyprus was alsoactively involved with donations of some of the gifts.High Commissioner Evan Williams was present on the

night to personally draw the tickets and present someof the prizes to the winners.Before the raffle, Deputy Commander of UN Police PhilSpence spoke about the fires and their impact on thepeople of the areas affected.Among the items auctioned off, the Australian Policeversion of the "Slouch Hat" was much sought after byinternational colleagues. Also, on the night, and aftergiving individually, the Irish and Dutch Police Contin-gents donated a large amount of money and additionalgifts.

The proceeds of the night were donated to the RedCross in aid of the bushfire victims.

Australian Bushfires

Bicommunal Art Exhibition

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, opened the third UNFICYP bi-communal art ex-hibition on 4 February, lauding the work of Cypriot photogra-

phers Voula Tsangarides and Veli Kaymaklılı.Mr. Zerihoun called the photographs on display in UNFICYP’s

headquarters “inspiring”, and he reiterated the mission’s commit-ment to promote the works of up and coming artists from theGreek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. He added thatthe photographs should be appreciated on their own obviousmerit, and not merely as political symbols.

Veli Kaymaklılı was first introduced to the magic of the camera atthe tender age of fourteen by his elder brother who worked as aphoto-journalist. He has since developed his own style and preferredthemes which include people, nature and capturing through his lensthe villages of Cyprus which he says “are part of what makes him who he is”. He says that his choice of subjectmatter is influenced by the story they can tell. For him a face or a scene in nature must have character whichis portrayed in his photographs. A firm believer in lifelong learning Veli continues to study philosophy and pho-tographic art. He also says he learns through the work of his fellow artists.

Voula Tsangarides’ background is in marketing communications and public relations, internationally and inCyprus. Photographic art is her passion and her work is inspired by her travels abroad and across the island.Her philosophy is “All people are gifted; it’s just a matter of believing and then accepting”. “There really are nolimits to one’s own potential”, she says. “I take photographs on my travels so that I can share with others thediversity and astonishing beauty that our world is made up of”.

The exhibition will be on display in the UNFICYP headquarters lobby until May 2009. To visit, please contact :[email protected].

By Netha Kreouzos

SRSG Zerihoun with artists Voula Tsan-garides(right) and Veli Kaymaklılı (left).

12 February/March 2009 - The Blue Beret

UNFICYP Medal Parades

The 2009 UNFICYP Winter Medal Parade on 13February in the area of old Nicosia Airport paidtribute to the peacekeepers from all sectors

and contingents who had servedin Cyprus over the previous sixmonths. Special Representativeof the Secretary-General Tayé-Brook Zerihoun addressed theparade, pointing out that theblue berets being honoured hadserved in Cyprus at a particularlyauspicious time, namely thelaunch of a renewed effort lastyear to reach a comprehensivesettlement on the island. Zerihoun provided anoverview of the peace process, recalling that GreekCypriot leader Demetris Christofiasand Turkish Cypriot leader MehmetAli Talat initiated last September for-mal negotiations towards a compre-hensive agreement on the basis of abi-communal, bi-zonal federationwith political equality. “It took vision,political courage and commitment onthe part of the two leaders to finally sit down andstart charting a path leading to a future reunited andpeaceful Cyprus,” he said.

Since then, the talks have gathered momen-tum and made good progress, Zerihoun said, point-ing out that earlier that day another round of negoti-ations had taken place not far from where the medalparade was being held. “To be sure, the road aheadis fraught with uncertainty ahard choices. But thedetermination and good will of the two leaders and

their supporters have made the prospects ofsuccess for this reinvigorated peace processas good as ever,” he said. As much progressas there has been, much more remains to bedone. In fact, the most contentious and emo-tive issues are yet to be agreed on. It is per-haps on those issues the two sides will befaced with the inevitable trade-offs and his-toric compromises they will need to make inorder to reach a settlement. Tough as thesechoices and decisions will be, it is essential tokeep in mind that the peace process is not azero-sum game; one side’s gain is not neces-sarily the other side’s loss. A just settlementwill help unshackle the tremendous potentialand capacity of this beautiful island and makeit a stronger and more prosperous home forall its citizens. There is indeed good reason tostrive for the larger good, to look beyond thepast, to the common and promising futurethat awaits all Cypriots, Greek and Turkish

Cypriots alike,” Zerihoun said. The Special Representative stressed that as

the parties pursue the peace process, they can counton the continued support andassistance of the United Na-tions. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has consistently under-scored that the role of theUnited Nations is to assist andfacilitate this Cypriot-ownedprocess, expressing the con-viction that successful peaceagreements are those that are

negotiated and agreed to by the concerned partiesthemselves. The Special Representative recalled that

in his last report to the Securi-ty Council, the Secretary-Gen-eral stressed that UNFICYPcontinues to play a vital roleon the island, both as a stabi-lizing factor on the ground andas a source of critical supportfor his good offices mission.

“That, in the first instance, is a tribute to our peace-keepers and to all the men and women of UNFICYPwho continue to show admirable dedication and vigi-lance in effectively implementing the UN mandate inCyprus - the peacekeeping as well as the good of-fices”, Zerihoun said. “I feel privileged to have thisopportunity to award you this evening the UnitedNations Peacekeeping Medal on behalf of the Secre-tary-General of the United Nations,” he said.

February and March saw the holding of three medal parades to acknowledge the contribution of UNFICYPpeacekeepers over the past six months. The 2009 UNFICYP Winter Medal Parade, the largest of the three,was held on 13 February in the area of the old Nicosia Airport. The Mobile Force Reserve (MFR) peace-

keepers responsible for the organisation of that event were decorated at a second parade, held on 13 March.Meanwhile, Sector 1 (west of Nicosia) held its medal parade on 5 March in San Martin camp. On that occasion,104 soldiers from the Argentinean contingent – and associated peacekeepers from Brazil, Chile and Paraguay,as well as members of UNFLIGHT -- received their medals.The Winter Medal Parade involved a week of preparations, involving support operations and infrastructure.Special Representative Taye-Brook Zerihoun and Force Commander Rear Admiral Mario Sanchez Debernardiaddressed the parade, which saw the attendance of many senior diplomats, including representatives of thetroop contributing countries.

The highlight for many of the medal recipients were the post-medal day celebrations during which thethree sectors put on traditional food and drinks from their home countries. This was a unique opportunity forall ranks across the mission to come together and share experiences from the previous six months.

The Sector 1 Medal Parade was presided over bythe Force Commander and attended by membersof the diplomatic community, military attachesand other special guests. This was followed by areception where traditional dishes were offered tothe sounds of South American music.

The Force Commander attended and inspected the MFRMedal Parade and delivered a much welcomed “thank you”in appreciation of the efforts of the unit. Medals were pre-sented to the multi-national contingent troops by the ForceCommander, assisted by CO Sector 2 Lt. Col. Jenkins andthe Chief Operations Officer, Lt. Col. Beldi.

The MFR led by the Commanding Officer Maj. Simon Smith, marched past and saluted the Force Commander tosymbolise the end of a successful tour. After the parade, the MFR held a tour party in the International Barwhich was attended by the Force Commander and senior UN officers, providing an opportunity for the juniorranks to share their tour experiences and memorable moments.

“It took vision, politicalcourage and commitment

on the part of the twoleaders to finally sit downand start charting a path

leading to a future reunitedand peaceful Cyprus”

Talks Gather Momentum

“...prospects of successfor this reinvigorated

peace process as goodas ever...”

February/March 2009 - The Blue Beret 13

Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tayé-Brook Zer-ihoun(right), Force Commander Rear Admiral Mario Sanchez De-bernardi, followed by Assistant to the Force Commander JamieHumphreys inspect the parade.

With the closing of theUN mission in Nepal inOctober 2008,

UNFICYP inherited 31 nearlynew vehicles. The lotincluded 4x4s, 16-seaterMinibuses and a left-handdrive fork-lift. The vehiclesleft Nepal in late December2008 and arrived at LimassolPort and were offloaded on 6February 2009. A group ofvolunteers from ISS/TransportUnit, Sector 2 and MFR drovethe vehicles from Limassol toNicosia in two long convoysover a two-day period.


UNFICYP’s Engineers:Doing the Heavy Liftingthere’s a lot more than

meets the eye in running acamp like Blue Beret, whereUNFICYP’s headquarters arehoused. Sergeant VladimirBaran describes how the Slo-vak Engineering Platoon helpskeep things moving.

“Apart from the oversizetrucks, trailers and loaderswe drive or walk past atHQ, not many notice thedaily work of the Force En-gineers in the buffer zone.Maintaining the 520 km pa-trol track that runs throughthe buffer zone is the maintask of the engineers insupport of the UN mandate.But the work also includes

things like repairingbridges and upgrading he-lipads.

“The repair of Mendietabridge, the regular clean-ing of culverts after heavyrains and the work tomake possible the mile-stone reopening of Ledra

Street last year reminds us ofthe contribution these soldiersmake to everyone’s life on theisland and redefines and broad-ens the engineers’ slogan, ‘Forthe soldiers’.

“Most of the time the mendo not experience the comfortsof an office, working outdoorsexposed to the sun and the ele-ments, pouring concrete, build-ing car shelters and carrying outemergency excavations duringfrequent water and electricalbreakdowns.

“Engineering, a very specificoccupation, requires profession-als, who acquire their skills duringyears of practicing a particularjob. Most of the heavy equipmentoperators had worked before inconstruction companies and haveyears of experience with a varietyof equipment, enabling them in

most cases to operate more thanone specific piece of machinery. “In May, Sector 4, in which theleading nation is the Slovak contin-gent, will undertake a rotation tobring in new troops who will work,we hope, no less satisfactorily thanthe outgoing men and women en-gineers. As Chief of Staff Col. Ger-ard Hughes has said: ‘AlthoughCyprus is a holiday destination, thesoldiers here are definitely not onholiday”.

SSgt. Vladimir Baran

Ashort parade ceremony was held on 20 March tomark the presentation of the Force Commander’sCommendations to 29 members of the military

force. The ceremony was held in the presence of theChief of Mission, in the courtyard at the rear of theUNFICYP HQ in front of a combined audience of Military,UNPOL and civilian staff.

The Force Commander delivered a short speech ofcongratulations in recognition of their significantachievement and then each of the recipients waspresented personally with their commendation. Allthose who had received commendations were theninvited to join the UNFICYP senior staff for their weeklycomplimentary breakfast, and had the chance to sharetheir experiences of working in the buffer zone.

The FC Commendations are awarded as a means ofrecognition of valuable, distinguished or courageousservice, above and beyond their normal duties, to theForce by UNFICYP personnel.

HQ Engineer Platoon on track

Force Commander’s Commendation

New Vehicles Join UNFICYP Fleet

Lucky is the MFR dog, who has been looked afterfor about 10 years by each unit that arrives at themission.

Responsibility for looking after Lucky lies with 3Platoon. These include feeding and looking after hergeneral wellbeing. On a daily basis, she runs with thetroops during their PT sessions, and likes to go onpatrols, keeping a beady eye out for any changes. Inher down time, Lucky loves nothing better than sun -bathing. Location is no obstacle for Lucky as herfavourite place is the road outside the MFR guard room,which helps with traffic calming measures. Lucky hashelped keep vermin down with her own method ofextermination – I’ll let your imagination guess what shedoes.

For sure, the stories that Lucky could tell after 10years would be wide-ranging and wonderful, and nodoubt the stuff of Roald Dahl, if only she could talk...

From the MFR unit Oct 08 - Apr 09 we wish her wellwith the incoming MFR unit Apr 09 - Oct 09, and mayshe continue to bring happiness to them as well.

By Sgt. J. Millington

Lucky, the MFR mascot

Convoy from Limassol to Nicosia

Volunteer drivers


On 17 February, the strongest UNFICYP soldiersmet in Camp General Stefanik in Famagusta forthe annual “Strongman Competition”.

The event consisted of three disciplines – the bench -press with weights equal to the contestant’s body -weight; the benchpress with the maximum weight(both of which took place in the gym); and last the tyreturnovers, which took place outside the gym.

Five teams took part, Sector 1; Sector 2; Sector 4;the MFR team; and the HQ-MFR team. After a toughcompetition, HQ-MFR team came out on top.

Force Commander Rear Admiral Mario Debernardicame to support all participants, together with COSector 4 Lt. Col. Jaroslav Schonvicky. Prizes werepresented by Sector 4’s DCO Lt. Col. Bela Berena.

Following the contest, participants were invited to asumptuous lunch provided by Sector 4’s master chefswhich was enjoyed very much by all.

HQ-MFR, the winning team: From the left: Lt. Laszlo Kovacs,Sgt. Ludovit Kantor, SSgt. Andrej Milovcik and MCpl. GyulaZabó.

SportGeneral San Martín Cross-Country Run

Strongman Competition

The General San Martín cross-country run took placethis year on 25 February. The competition was

attended by teams from all Sectors, the MFR and

UNPOL. Female presence wasmandatory with at least onewoman in the four-memberteams. In addi tion all “free -lance” runners were welcomefor indi vidual classification.

The cross-country race wasan 8 km run from the LefkaCross (next to OP 18) to SanMartín Camp over very difficultterrain. On the day, condi tionsturned out to be very good.Rain had been forecast,however competitors foundthemselves running across thehilly buffer zone in brightsunshine.

On arrival at the finish line,competitors were wel comed byForce Commander Rear AdmiralMario San chez, Chief of StaffCol. Gerard Hughes and COSector 1 Lt. Col. Raul Faijoo.

Followin g the prize presentation, guests and partici -pants shared a relaxing lunch at the Sector 1 Officers’Mess.

The fourth annual Police Commissioners’Conference, which took place at UN HQ NewYork between 11 and 13 February 2009 saw the

participation of police Commissioners from all 18peacekeeping missions including UNFICYP.

The conference was organised under the auspicesof the Police Division, Department of PeacekeepingOpera tions. While in New York, the participants metwith Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon (see right) anddiscussed their respective mission experiences.

Police Commissionersmeet in New York

When Xenios was a little boy, there was noInternet or video games. Children cre-ated their own imaginary worlds.

In Xenios’ neighbourhood he and his friendsplayed Roman Centurions, with swords, spearsand bows and arrows. Xenios was chief bow andarrow maker, using the branches from date palms(he had noticed their flexibility when weigheddown by heavy bunches of dates).Indeed, it was while playing Roman soldier in thestreets of Nicosia’s Kaimakli area that XeniosXenophontos, a driver in UNFICYP’s TransportUnit, discovered his fascination and later passionfor archery.

As a father, Xenios would tell his young son,Sotiris, the stories of his childhood, showing himhow to make bows and arrows. Sotiris wanted tolearn the real thing. Xenios took his son to anarchery club, which he also joined. They bothcould now indulge their natural talent and love forthe sport. In those days, Cyprus held its own na-tional competitions and Sotiris won the under-16’stitle two years running. Xenios himself has com-peted successfully in national and internationaltournaments.

He has participated in International games inCyprus, Slovakia, Greece, San Marino and theCzech Republic and he won the bronze medal inthe 2001 Aphrodite Cup held in Cyprus andbronze again in the 2004 Small States of Europein which seven countries participated and is justlyvery proud of his achievements. Xenios is now acoach, and considered a very good one – he cantrain students up to national level and to competein the Olympics. He can He aims to become aprofessional coach, and has already played a largepart in training the Cyprus No 1, Mimi El Helali, inthe “Recurve” class. Mimi is a silver medallist inan international competition and Xenios feels sureshe is destined to represent Cyprus in the OlympicGames.

Although Xenios has recently neglected his owntraining in favour of coaching, his new bow hadarrived in time to enter a two day competitionheld at the Nicosia club at the end of March. Iwent along to watch him and Mimi in action andwas immediately struck by the range of competi-tors, from beginners to experienced archers; chil-dren and adults; male and female all focused in ahighly disciplined sport where posture, strength, acool temperament and a very steady hand are thename of the game.

At the close of competition, Mimi comfortablyretains first position and Xenios third in theCyprus league tables; two names to look out for ina future Olympics.

By Christine Iacovou

Xenios Scores a Bullseye

Xenios stops for a snack after winningBronze in 2004

Xenios poses with his new Compound Bow


Recycling in the UNPA

Recycling is a key component of modern wastemanagement, part of the “Reduce, Reuse,Recycle” waste hierarchy.

UNFICYP headquarters has now arranged for recyc-ling facilities within the UNPA at the following locations:

a) International Cafeteria for glass, paper, plasticand cans;

b) Opposite the UN Gym for glass, plastic andcans; and

c) Outside the PIO Office for paper.

Please use the facilities now being provided todispose of items that can be recycled and help UNFICYPto achieve the Secretary-General's goal of “Greeningthe UN”.

Two Rear Admirals in the Service of Peace

Roussa Demosthenous joined UNFICYP as the newRecords Clerk in the Civil Affairs Branch on 3 March.

Born in Cyprus on 23 November 1976, she lived andstudied in Hungary from 1995 to 2001 where shereceived a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from theEötvös Loránd University of Sciences in Budapest. Onreturning to Cyprus, she was offered an Administrativeand Research post at the University of Cyprus’ Aca-demic Affairs and Student Welfare Service. From 2004to 2007 she was appointed by the Cyprus Ministry ofEducation as an Educational Psychologist for Childrenwith Special Needs. In 2007 she took up the post of

Administrative Assistant in UNDP-ACT, supporting the registry andarchive processes, while furtherfacilitating the organisation of offi-cial visits and workshops. Roussa iscurrently working on her Thesis(Final Year Project) pursuing aMaster of Arts in InternationalRelations from the University ofNicosia. In her free time she practices diversityphotography in out door portraits and landscape andenjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Lt. Col. Horacio Carlos Ghiosi arrivedin UNFICYP on 4 February 2009, tak-

ing over from Maj. Alberto Cohen asForce Signal Officer. Ghiosi joined theArgentinean Air Force 27 years agoand in 1989 completed the Signal Of-ficer course and has been stationed atseveral Air Brigades and Major Com-

mands as Signal Officer. In 1996 he startedworking in IT and Communications projects within theAir Force and parallel to this began his university studies

for a bachelor degree in computer science. He also has abachelor degree in Air and Airspace Administration. In2006 he obtained an MBA in Audit Systems. This is hissecond tour of duty in UNFICYP having served as the firstArgentinean Force Signal Officer in 2005 taking overfrom the Finnish officer that had previously held the post.Ghiosi is married to Maria Florencia. They have a daugh-ter Agustina (15) and a son Santiago (6) who are here inCyprus with him. His hobbies include tennis, music, foot-ball and travelling with the family.

Over the weekend of 20-21 February, the FrenchNaval Ship (FNS) De Grasse was docked inLimassol Port. The French ship serves as the

Maritime Headquarters of the UNIFIL Maritime TaskForce Commander, Rear Admiral Jean Louis Kerignard,deployed in support of peacekeeping operations inLebanon. Rear Admiral Mario Sanchez Debernardi, wasinvited on board on 20 February to attend a receptionhosted by the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force Commander.During this reception our own Force Commander (FC)was able to present the UNIFIL Maritime Task ForceCommander with a framed picture to commemorate theextremely rare occasion of two UN Rear Admiralsdeployed together in Cyprus. The following day the FCwas able to reacquaint himself with life at sea as hejoined the UNIFIL crew as they set sail from Limassol fora short sea voyage out into the Mediterranean. Duringthe short voyage the FC was able to experience firsthand the conditions faced by the UNIFIL floatingpeacekeepers as he was given a comprehensive guidedtour of the French Frigate by the ships captain, CaptainXavier Baudouard. After two hours sailing, the ForceCommander flew back to Limassol aboard a UNIFIL

helicopter. As a Peruvian marine the FC relished theopportunity to be back at sea and expressed his sincerethanks to the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force for facilitatingsuch a unique opportunity; two Rear Admirals, fromdifferent countries, serving on different missions joinedtogether under the UN flag in the service of peace.

Senior Medical Officer of Sector-4 Maj MariánZdycha M.D. organized a blood drive on 23February at north Nicosia General Hospital

where Slovak peacekeepers volunteered to donateblood.After a routine medical check-up six Slovak soldiersgave blood in what is Sector 4’s fourteenth organisedblood donation in support of the local community.Dr. Zdycha said: “I am personally more than happythat our soldiers are so willing to help people thatneed blood. This is also a very good example of thehelp and humanitarian support the peacekeepersgive to the local community. I am proud of oursoldiers and I would like to thank them all forparticipating in this humanitarian effort”. Furtherblood donations are planned for the future.

Capt. Marián Filip

Roussa

Humanitarian Initiative

Rear Adm Jean Louis Kerignard and Rear Adm Mario Sanchezduring the cocktail reception on board FNS De Grasse.

Medical assistants from Transfusion Blood Unit – NorthNicosia with soldiers from SLOVCON.

Force Signal Officer

New Faces

Sgt. Pavol Kubis, the new UNFICYPForce Photo grapher, comes from

a small town in eastern Slovakiacalled Stara Lubovna Pavol joinedthe army in 1997 as a cadet at NCOschool in Liptovsky Mikulas. Afterhe graduated from the NCO

school, he held several positions in the Slovak army, in-cluding tank platoon commander and reconnaissanceplatoon sergeant.

Pavol is married to Viera, and they have two sons,Pavol (five) and Lukas (four). His hobbies are sport,reading and, of course, photography.

Force Photographer

Incoming Military Public Information Officer - CaptainTomas Dano arrived in UNFICYP on 17 March. He was

born on 28 April 1977 in Topolcany, Slovakia. He joinedthe Slovak Military academy in 1995 and after graduat-ing in military systems management with specializationin Nuclear Biological and Chemical defence in 2000 hebegan to serve in the Slovak Republic Armed Forces asNBC-reconnaissance platoon commander. He served in anumber of command positions up until 2004 when he be-came a Staff Officer at the operation and planning branchof the Slovak Land Forces HQ where he focused on NBC

and training. From 2006, he worked onthe implementation of internationaldisarmament commitments of theSlovak Republic within the Verifica-tion Centre at the Defence Ministrytill his arrival in Cyprus. Tomas ismarried to Miroslava and they havea one year old daughter Lucia. Heloves reading, ball and watersports, biking and travelling.

MPIO

Maj. Attila Jori, SO2 Ops (Policy/Plan-ning), arrived in Cyprus on 17

March. He was born in Hungary, on 27May 1969. He joined the HungarianArmy when he started military studiesin the Air Defence Military College inKyiv (Ukraine). He graduated in 1993as a radio engineer and served in dif-

ferent appointments in the Hungarian Air

Defence. In 2001 he transferred to the Signal Commandand worked as Staff Officer, later as COS. Maj. Jori at-tended the NATO Staff Officer Course in 2004 and from2006 he served as Commander of the Main Communica-tion and IT Centre battalion. Maj. Jori is married to Agnesand they have two children, Melinda (12) and Nikolett (10).His hobbies include going out on excursions and listen-ing rock music.

SO2 Policy & Planning

Pupils dance to Cypriot folk music atevent on cultural heritage.

safeguarding the cultural heritage of cyprus...editorial team josé díaz miriam taylor netha...

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