NICOSIA, February 12. /TASS/. Russian peacekeepers are doing "excellent work" to help the UN mission to Cyprus in fulfilling its tasks, the UN envoy to the island, Khassim Diagne, said.
"The Russian Federation officers serving in UNFICYP are doing an excellent work in various functions in the mission headquarters," said Diagne, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy to the island, who doubles as the head of the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
"I am very pleased with their commitment, dedication and contribution for many, many years to UNFICYP mandate which as you know is to monitor the ceasefire line, manage the buffer zone that separates Turkish-Cypriot side from Greek-Cypriot side but also engaging in intercommunal activities and contributing efforts towards the peace in Cyprus," the UN official told a TASS correspondent after a medal ceremony honoring 50 men and women serving in UNFICYP as military officers.
"So, all in all that I can say is that I am really-really grateful to the Russian Federation," he added.
Medals were awarded to servicemen from 12 countries: Russia, Austria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada, Mongolia, Paraguay, Serbia and Slovakia.
Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Murat Zyazikov, who was present at the ceremony, told TASS that Russian servicemen and police officers are performing their tasks as part of UNFICYP with excellence.