THE BLUE BERET

Published monthly by the:Public Information OfficeUnited Nations Peacekeeping Force in CyprusHQ UNFICYPPO Box 21642Nicosia 1590Cyprus.

Tel: 2286-4550/4416/4408Fax: 2286-4461E-mail: unficyp-blue-beret@un.org

blueberetcyprus@hotmail.comWebsite:www.unficyp.org

Editorial TeamBrian KellyMaj. Ingrid TomekováMiriam TaylorAldo HenriquezMSgt. Martin Mruz (Photographer)

Unit Press OfficersSector 1 Capt. Fernando Pérez KühnSector 2 Capt. Bertie RichardsonSector 4 1/Lt. Ladislav Regenda

Capt. Zoltán SándorUNCIVPOL Supt. Sandy AllanUN Flt Lt. Ariel MaisonMFR Lt. Robert SkeggsFMPU Capt. Robert Litavecz

The Blue Beret is UNFICYP’s in-housejournal. Views expressed are of the authorsconcerned, and do not necessarily conformwith official policy.Articles of general interest (plus photos withcaptions) are invited from all members of theForce.Copyright of all material is vested in UNpublications, but may be reproduced with theEditor’s permission.

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2 April 2004 - The Blue Beret

This month the people of Cyprus were presentedwith an historic opportunity to voice theirindividual judgement on the island’s status. Theychose to reject the United Nations Plan for theComprehensive Settlement of the CyprusProblem, thereby determining that Cyprus wouldenter the European Union still a divided island.The people, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriotalike, made their views known on 24 April whenthey voted in separate, simultaneous referenda. Amajority “no” vote in the south cancelled out amajority “yes” vote in the north. The net resultwas that the plan known as the “Annan Plan”, sopainstakingly negotiated over the last four-and-a-half years to bring about reunification, failed toachieve its goal. Once the result was known, the Secretary-Generalacknowledged that the decision on how to votehad been a difficult one for most Cypriots. Inmaking clear that he respected the outcome, theSecretary-General stressed that he remainsconvinced that the plan offers a fair, viable andbalanced compromise that meets the basic needsof all concerned. While clearly the Greek Cypriotelectorate had not concurred with this view on theday, he hoped they might arrive at a differentconclusion after reviewing their decision “in thefullness of time”. The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Alvarode Soto regretted the outcome while welcomingthe fact that the people had been afforded thechance to make their views known at referenda. Inbriefing the Security Council, Under-Secretary-General Prendergast also spoke of the UN’sdisappointment but said time was needed to allow“the dust to settle”.Amidst that settling dust, the status quo of bufferzone and UNFICYP mandate continues to prevail.We in UNFICYP will continue our task in theservice of peace, on the instruction of the SecurityCouncil and the international community, for thewell being of the people of Cyprus.

Ed

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Cyprus Settlement Rejected at Referenda

3April 2004 - The Blue Beret

On 24 April the people of Cyprus, north and south,Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, for the firsttime ever voted at referenda on a Cyprus

settlement. A majority “no” vote in the south and amajority “yes” vote in the north meant rejection of theproposed settlement known as the Annan Plan. In thesouth, Greek Cypriots voted “no” by a margin of three-to-one (75.83% against to 24.17% for). In the north,Turkish Cypriots voted 64.91% in favour of the plan,with 35.09% opposed.

The Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulosstressed that the people had not said “no” to a Cyprussolution, simply “no” to the UN plan. There would benew opportunities ahead for a solution following EUaccession, he said. In the north, Turkish Cypriot leaderMehmet Ali Talat told Ankara’s NTV: “I do not find itright to renegotiate the plan. It has been negotiated morethan enough and the conjuncture has also changed.”

The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus,Alvaro de Soto regretted the outcome but said he waspleased the people of Cyprus “have at last had theopportunity to exercise their judgement”.

After the results had been announced, SpecialAdviser de Soto met with the press in Ledra Palace,Nicosia, and read from the statement issued in NewYork by the Secretary-General’s Spokesman.

“The Secretary-General respects the outcome of thetwo referenda. He knows that for many Cypriots thedecision how to vote was a difficult one. The goal of theeffort over the last four and a half years has been tobring about reunification so as to enable a reunitedCyprus to join the European Union. That goal has notbeen achieved. A unique and historic chance to resolvethe Cyprus problem has been missed. The Secretary-General intends to give careful thought to the implica-tions of today’s result. Meanwhile, Cyprus will remaindivided and militarized as it accedes to the EuropeanUnion, and the benefits of a settlement will not berealized. The Secretary-General applauds the TurkishCypriots, who approved the plan notwithstanding the

significant sacrifices that it entailed for many of them.He regrets that the Turkish Cypriots will not equallyenjoy the benefits of EU membership as of 1 May 2004,but he hopes that ways will be found to ease the plightin which the people find themselves through no fault oftheir own. Together with a broad cross-section of theinternational community, the Secretary-General remainsconvinced that the settlement plan put to the two sides intoday’s referenda represents a fair, viable and carefullybalanced compromise – one that conforms with thelong-agreed parameters for a solution and with theSecurity Council’s vision for a settlement, and meets theminimum requirements of all concerned. Clearly, a largemajority of the Greek Cypriot electorate did not sharethat judgement today. He hopes that they may neverthe-less arrive at a different view in the fullness of time,after a profound and sober assessment of today’sdecision. For a settlement to the long-standing Cyprusproblem would benefit the people of Cyprus, as well asthe region and the wider international community.”

After a round of farewell visits to the island’s leader-ship, Alvaro de Soto departed Cyprus on 28 April.Following a round of similar calls on leadership inAnkara and Athens, de Soto proceeded to New Yorkwhere he is preparing a report for the Secretary-General,which will be submitted to the Security Council.

In New York, Under-Secretary-General KieranPrendergast briefed the Security Council on thereferenda results and acknowledged that they had beendisappointing. He said time was needed “for the dust tosettle” so that the outcome and its full implicationscould become apparent. He noted that the Secretary-General hoped the Greek Cypriot community wouldarrive at a different view after a profound and soberassessment of their decision and its potential conse-quences. The Security Council later announced that itshared the Secretary-General’s disappointment thatefforts since 1999 to reunify the island had failed. TheCouncil reiterated its strong support for an overallpolitical settlement in Cyprus.

Front Cover: UNFICYP on patrolBack Cover: Good Offices departure

ContentsEditorial/Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Cyprus Settlement Rejected at Referenda . . . . . . . . .3/4Good Offices Says Goodbye and Thank You . . . . . . .4/52 Into 1/Back in the Swim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6D Battery MFR: Ready to Deploy/

Best Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Cultural Heritage of Cyprus: Part XXII –

Nicosia’s Cathedral of St. Sophia/Selimiye Cami . .8/9Roundabout Corridor Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Former Finnish Peacekeepers Return/

A Run for your Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Ultra Lyte Speed Meter/On the Set at UN HQ . . . . . .12 Saving Private Ryan/UN System Loses Two Friends .13Hellos and Goodbyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14/15

April 2004 - The Blue Beret 54 April 2004 - The Blue Beret

Before the 24 April referenda, theSecretary-General addressed the people ofthe island in a pre-recorded video message,which was distributed to the island’s TVstations for broadcast. In his address, theSecretary-General spoke of the “difficultdecision” each voter faced in determining“the destiny of your country”. He noted thatwhile parts of the plan they called the “AnnanPlan” had been put together by the UnitedNations, its key concepts had emerged fromfour years of negotiations among the leaders,with most of its 9,000 pages largely draftedby hundreds of Greek Cypriots and TurkishCypriots. “Their extraordinary efforts pro-duced one of the most comprehensive peaceplans in the history of the United Nations.”He conceded the plan did not meet the fulldemands of either side, that in fact “it is acompromise”, but, he insisted, it offered “theonly foreseeable route” to the reunification ofCyprus since there was no other plan outthere. “There is no magic way of accommo-dating the maximum demands of one sidewhile at the same time accommodating themaximum demands of the other.” “This is it”,he said, “a serious plan, designed to providecertainty and security, with guarantees that itwill be implemented”.

He pointed out how the plan:. Envisaged one independent and sovereign

state, the United Cyprus Republic – a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal structure,based on the political equality of the twocommunities.

. Prohibited partition or secession,domination by one side, or union with anyother country.

. Ended the status quo and the division ofthe country.

. Safeguarded the identity of Cyprus and ofeach community in it while preserving theintegrity of the citizenship of the country.

The Secretary-General also noted how:. The plan allowed many people to return,

and to get all or some of their propertyback and how others would be paid fulland secure compensation.

. Those forced to move because of terri-torial adjustment would be helped to do soin a dignified and proper manner.

. The UN would station a new and robustoperation in Cyprus, to help maintainsecurity and hold all parties to their com-mitments, including the commitments towithdraw troops and hand back territoryIn concluding, the Secretary-General told

Cypriots: “The vision of the plan is simple:reunification and reconciliation, in safety andsecurity, in the European Union. The world isready to help you turn that vision of the futureinto reality. But we cannot take that fatefuldecision for you. We await your call.”

UNFICYP paid tri-bute to the Secretary-General’s SpecialAdviser on Cyprus,Alvaro de Soto, witha guard of honourwhen he visitedmission HQ on 28April before hedeparted the island.

Mr. de Soto waswelcomed by Chiefof Mission ZbigniewWlosowicz andsubsequently metand thankedmembers of thesenior staff for theirhelp and support tothe Good Offices.

Once the outcome of the referenda was known,the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser onCyprus Alvaro de Soto announced that he

would be departing the island within a matter ofdays and that the Good Offices would close its officein the UNPA by mid-May. The Special Adviserreturned to New York on 1 May, where he is nowpreparing his report for the Secretary-General. Aswe go to press, most of the Good Offices staff havedispersed, returning to their UN system parentorganisations or, in the case of those who wereseconded to the team from outside the UN, rejoiningtheir respective institutions or government services.A small group of Good Offices staff membersremain to handle the closedown of the Nicosiaoffice.

On 26 April, Mr. de Soto and his team hosted aninformal barbecue at the Good Offices premises inthe UNPA as a “thank-you and farewell” gesture forall who had contributed to the all-out effort launchedon the team’s return to the island on 17 February. Inthanking his guests including UNFICYP’s Chief ofMission and many staff, military and civilian(administration, comms, translation and UNOPSstaff), who had helped sustain the Good Officesteam during its final intensive stint in the run-up tothe referenda, Special Adviser de Soto rememberedhow he had returned directly to New York from TheHague in 2003 and had, therefore, been compelled toforego the opportunity to say farewell.

In addition to UN family, Good Offices’ guestsincluded the British High Commissioner, the Dutch,German, Irish and US Ambassadors and the SwissCharge d’Affaires – whose governments providedfunding and support to the Good Offices. Speakingof behalf of all the guests, the Head of theRepresentation of the European Commission toCyprus, Mr. Adriaan van der Meer, paid tribute tothe tireless efforts of the Good Offices team.

The next day, 27 April, Ledra Palace became thevenue for the “thank-you’s”. Mr. de Soto and histeam hosted an informal lunch for some 250 GreekCypriot and Turkish Cypriot members of the varioustechnical committees which had worked through somany late evenings and early mornings to finalisethe plan and deliver it to deadline.

Members of the UNFICYP translation teamwith Alvaro de Soto

“The Four Muskateers”

With the men of EDP/Comms and ISS

With the ladies of “TFP” (Transport, Finance & Personnel

Seeing “double”!

April 2004 - The Blue Beret 76 April 2004 - The Blue Beret

DBattery, 3rd Regiment Royal HorseArtillery, deployed to Cyprus at the endof 2003 and were tasked as the Mobile

Force Reserve (MFR). Our mission was to beprepared to provide the Force Reserve in orderto conduct tasks as directed by the ForceCommander. This consisted of us re-tasking from a gunbattery in a war-fighting role in Basra, Iraq, to an infantrycompany in a peace-support role.

On arrival in Cyprus, I was presented with my platoonconsisting of 15 British, three Slovak, six Argentinian andtwo Hungarian soldiers. An entertaining few days ensuedin trying to communicate, with our lack of any Spanish,Hungarian or Slovakian and their limited English.However, it was noted that the level of English spokenand understood by our new friends degenerated andincreased, depending on the task in hand!

Tasks carried out by the MFR are to reinforce Sectors1, 2 and 4 as required. We assist UNCIVPOL in preven-ting unauthorised entry into the buffer zone and alsoprovide a trained, equipped and rapidly deployablecompany-size crowd control force. We must be able todeploy as required and provide the UNPA with militarysupport. In reality, that means we use our three platoonsin a 21-day cycle through security, patrols and TAS(Training, Administration, Standby). During the securityphase, we provide 24-hour UNPA security with gateguards, a fire piquet, patrols around the UNPA and animmediate Quick Reaction Force (QRF).

During the patrols phase, the platoon must be preparedto deploy to any sector at four hours’ notice to move. TheMFR also provides a crowd control force for possibledeployment to areas of unrest, e.g. whenever a protest isheld. Official visits to the UNPA are frequent, and in thisregard, the MFR provide an honour guard for each visitor,consisting of eight multi-national soldiers and an SNCO.The troops present arms and the visitors are invited to

inspect the troops. With what time is left, platoon trainingis carried out including urban and rural crowd control,sport and lifeguard duties. During the negotiations,soldiers continually safe guarded the talks location, provi-ding an additional QRF when required.

The training administration standby phase is usedinitially to back fill other platoons, which are down instrength due to courses and R&R (rest and recreation). Itis during this period we have had the opportunity to goadventure training. Multi-activity courses have been runin Dhekelia with great success for British and interna-tional troops. These consisted of three-day coursescomprising rock climbing, canoeing, cycling and cliffjumping. These were held to give the soldiers an insightinto what courses they would like to pursue later on in thetour and to give them a break from their duties.

It is during this phase that platoon tasks are carriedout. The hidden chippies (carpenters), electricians andpainter-decorators soon came to light, and their expertisewas fully utilised. So far, the MFR have totally refur-bished the international bar which is now also used by thesoldiers. Work has also been done refurbishing the frontof HQ UNFICYP and the trim trail. If a job needs doinginvolving a lot of person-power, the MFR are usuallycalled upon to do it!

The past 12 months have been full of contrasts, fromwar fighting to peace support. Initially it was strangegetting to grips working in a more peaceful environment,but everyone has settled into it and now we just face thedaily challenge of the “UN way of doing things” – analtogether new experience!

From our arrival on island, it waswidely acknowledged that COSector 2, Lt. Col. Nick Ashmore,

was much in favour of cross-boundaryintegration during our tour withUNFICYP. This was reinforced by thearrival of the new Force Commander,Maj. Gen. Hebert Figoli, and such wasthe setting for my three-day excursioninto ARGCON.

Sector 1’s organisation differssignificantly from ours. It comprisesa multi-national South AmericanContingent of Argentinian Army,Argentinian Marines, plus militaryfrom Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay,Peru and Uruguay.

The sector is split between A Com-pany, B Company and C Company. ACompany, in the far west, is comman-ded from Roca Camp and providesboth line troops and the logisticsupport HQ for the whole Sector. BCompany is central and shares its HQwith HQ Sector 1 at Camp San Martin.

C Company, where I was based, isthe most easterly in the sector and runsfrom Camp Admiral Brown. Within CCompany’s area of operations there aretwo sub-sector boundaries, 60 area and70 area, each of which contain anumber of patrol bases. These patrolbases are manned by five-man sectionswhich rotate on a seven-day basis, and

which are commanded by awarrant officer. Each subsector has two lieutenants, onein command and one 2IC,above them the Company 2ICand Company Commander.The aim of my stay was to geta broad overview of Sector 1.

To this end, I visited all the CompanyHQs and met many personalities. Ialso had an overflight of Sector 1, thetopography of which is very diverse –from the plains in the east to themountains in the west. The proximityto the sea made the flight spectacular. Ialso visited a number of the patrolbases and my visits followed astandard pattern; a tour of the base,followed by “mate”. Mate is SouthAmerican tea, drunk from a smallwooden or metal pot through a pipe.The etiquette is that the pot is finished,refilled and then passed on to the nextperson.

C Company proved to be excellenthosts. The first night we had anArgentinian barbeque. This involvedan initial fire from which the best coalswere selected for the barbeque. Therewas an awesome amount of meat,cooked relatively slowly, as only mini-mal coals were used and then replen-ished from the initial fire as necessary.The result was delicious.

One thing that stuck in my mindwas the personable and tactile natureof the South Americans. For example,they salute then shake hands – a rathernice gesture, respecting the rank, thenthe person. The problem is they do thisvery quickly, so I often found myself

saluting while they had their hand ex-tended to be shaken. There would thenbe a slightly awkward mistiming ofhandshake/saluting gestures as wetried to find common ground. At leastit provided a good ice-breaker!

My other abiding memory will bethat of being totally humbled on thefootball pitch. The would-be Mara-donas versus the rugby back-rowforward provided a non-contest, astime and time again, they went oneway, with the ball, and I went the other,without it!

All in all, it was an excellent threedays. My thanks go to all my hosts whowere proud, professional and enormousfun. The experience has provided acatalyst for continued integration forthe remainder of our tour.

D Battery –Mobile Force

ReserveReady to Deploy

2 Into 1

By Capt. M. Monk

The UNPA Dolphin Swimming Pool opened forbusiness on 8 April, which coincided with theEaster weekend and unusually high temperatures

for the time of year. The pool is a great favourite with allUNFICYP members and families alike, and its opening isa sure sign that winter is behind us.

As part of the British Retained Site, the pool is over-seen by a six-man committee, under the Chairmanship ofLt. Col. Chris Kilmister, the Chief Personnel & LogisticsOfficer. Lifeguards are provided by the MFR and are alltrained to Royal Lifesaver’s Society qualification.

The pool itself is 48 metres long, with a children’spool attached at the shallow end, which has a protectivesun awning. The facility has sun loungers galore, its ownmale and female changing rooms, showers and toilets.The pool stays open from April until November (weatherpermitting) and, at present, is in the process of having aheating system and thermal cover installed, to raise thepool temperature during the cooler periods of the season.

The pool has a restaurant and bar area which is run byMr. Christos Fiouris and his staff. It provides an excellentselection of local, Chinese and snack meals, plus a take-

away service in the evenings around the UNPA. The res-taurant area can also be hired for private functions throughthe Pool Manager, SSgt. Iain Thompson.

All in all, the Dolphin Swimming Pool is a greatfacility to have on our doorstep, and an ideal place to cooloff and relax as the temperature rises.

By 2/Lt. N.H. Faith

From the left: Mrs. A. Partelides (first prize), Mrs. A.Griffin (runner-up), Maj. P. Wyse, Mrs. K. Ignatiou

(second prize), Mrs. M. Kourea (runner-up)and Mrs. A. Yiannoullou (centre)

Best Book Review

Back in the Swim!

From the left: Gnr D. Terry (Lifeguard),LBdr. C. McDermott (Lifeguard), Maj. N. Ravenhill

(Vice Chairman), SSgt. I. Thompson (Pool Manager),Mr. C. Fiouris (Restaurant Manager),

Nishantra (Restaurant Assistant)

As a result of the book competition organised by theNicosia Library, BRITCON, UNPA, a small prize-giving ceremony was held in the Library on 24

March. Maj. Peter Wyse, 2IC of HQ BRITCON,presented the first and second prizewinners each with abook token, kindly provided by the Soloneion Bookshopin Nicosia. Maj. Wyse congratulated the prizewinnersand runners-up and thanked Mrs. K. Sinclair and Mrs. S.Kilmister for judging the competition.

Anthe, the Assistant Librarian, promised to organise anew competition in the near future with the hope thatmany more will participate.

Sgt.

Juan

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8 9

History: From Cathedral to Mosque

The Byzantine Empire lost Cyprus in 1191 AD to Richard theLionheart when he defeated Duke Isaac Comnenos while en routeto the Holy Land. Richard initially sold the island to the KnightsTemplar, but then sold it on to Guy of Lusignan in 1193.

Thus, Cyprus began to experience long periods of westernoccupation as a Frankish or Lusignan kingdom (1192-1489), and asa dependency of the Venetian Republic (1489-1570/71).

During these periods, the Greek Orthodox religious figures wereexpelled to the countryside. The Latin church became predominant,with an Archbishop in Nicosia and bishops in Famagusta, Limassoland Paphos. Most western religious orders, including the Benedic-tines and the Franciscans, established churches and monasteries onthe island. Military orders such as the Templars and the Hospital-lers also established commanderies.

It is against this background that the construction of the Cathe-dral of Saint Sophia began, probably as early as 1193, and certainlyby 1209 during the reign of the Lusignan King Henry I. Theproject’s financing came via donations from Lusignan royals,noblemen and Latin archbishops. Most of the masons and othertechnicians were recruited from among the Frenchmen who left thedisbanded armies of the Crusades. Built using limestone from theKyrenia range, the cathedral was under construction for more thana century. In fact, it wasn’t yet finished when its consecration tookplace in 1326, and the bell towers that had been planned as part ofthe design were never finished.

The cathedral knew days of glory, as it was used as the venue formany important royal events. The Lusignan kings, for example,were crowned here as the heads of Cyprus, before a secondcoronation in Famagusta designated them kings of Jerusalem.

The cathedral was repaired a number of times, after attacks bythe Genoese and the Mamelukes in 1373 and 1426, respectively,and after earthquake damage in 1491 and 1547. The last refurbish-ment took place just before the arrival of the Ottomans.

The cathedral became a mosque in September 1570, whenNicosia fell to the Ottomans. In keeping with Islam’s avoidance ofhuman representations, Christian symbols and furniture wereremoved, stained-glass windows were altered, and frescoes white-washed. Two minarets were added, one on either side of the westfaçade above the flanking towers; a mirhap (prayer niche) was setup in the southern arm of the cathedral’s transept; and an ablutionsfountain in the courtyard was also added.

What You’ll See Today

The cathedral’s design included a porch (1), a central nave (2) withlateral aisles of four bays (3 and 4), a transept with salient arms (5),each incorporating a chapel (8 and 9), plus an ambulatory (6) and achoir (7).

The porch covers the entire western façade, and is flanked oneither side by a tower, each of which is surmounted by a minaret,added by the Ottomans in the 16th century. Toward the eastern endof the building, near the ambulatory, a two-storey chapel (10)consisted of the treasury located on the ground floor and the chapelof St. Thomas Aquinas on the upper floor. A fourth chapel (11) waslocated on the second bay of the southern aisle. The upper parts ofthe cathedral were accessed by five staircases (12-16). The vaulted(arched) roofs are ribbed.

The cathedral measures 66 by 21 metres, excluding the porch andchapels. On the exterior, the building’s structure is reinforced bydecorated flying buttresses that also contain gargoyles. A reinforcingplinth with Renaissance decorations was added by the Venetians.

Although never finished, the porch in front of the three westernentrances offers an excellent example of the Gothic style that wasprevalent in the Lusignan period of Cyprus. Imported directly bythe king from his homeland in France, the style was used widely,not only by the Latins, but occasionally by the native Greeks. Theporch is covered by three vaulted bays that have double transverseribs, and is decorated with torus (convex mouldings) and grooves.On the exterior, the three arcades are surmounted by pointed cablesdecorated with leaves.

The three doorways of the western façade are separated by piersthat feature colonettes, upon which rest the springs of the ribs, thearcades and the main arches of the porch’s vaults. Shallow twinniches can be seen on either side of the doorways. The arcades andpanels on the central doorway’s tympanum (the roughly triangularspace at the arch’s peak) are comparable to those of RheimsCathedral in France.

Inside, above the central doorway, is a gallery with six opentrilobe windows that are surmounted by another six glass trilobelights, forming the base of an arched window. An arrangement oftrefoils fills the space between the arch and the windows.

The walls of the nave are higher than those of the aisles. Thenave’s twin-pointed windows take up the whole space between itsarched roof and the flat roofs of the aisles, and are surmounted bythree circles.

The transept has windows on the west and south sides. Astained glass rose window once graced the north side, above a smalldoorway.

The choir has small lancet windows, while its bay is lit by twinwindows of the same type that are found in the apse. The southernapsidal chapel has a small rounded arched window on colonettes,while the northern apsidal chapel has no window. Both chapelshave half-dome roofs. The two northern chapels communicated witheach other, while the treasury was also connected to the ambulatoryby a southern doorway with a pointed arch and a trilobed tym-panum. On either side of the door, the jambs were decorated withcolumns.

The cathedral’s columns have octagonal carved capitals, exceptfor two in the ambulatory that have relief carvings in the earlyFrench Gothic style. It is possible that some of the columns in theapse originated in the ruins of Salamis. The vaulted ceiling oncefeatured key-stones, which were covered with plaster by theOttomans, and also depicted a scene of blue sky and golden stars,now whitewashed.

The mirhap in the south transept that was added when thecathedral became a mosque indicates the direction of Mecca, andreplaced the Lady Chapel that King Hugh III created in 1270. Themimber, or pulpit, isalso located nearby.Above the north tran-sept, meanwhile, theOttomans added awomen’s gallery.

Despite the pas-sage of time, thebuilding’s soaringceilings and gracefularchitecture stillevoke the atmosphereand grandeur of its13th-century Frenchdesign.

The 13th-century Cathedral of SaintSophia (Holy Wisdom) – the oldest andlargest Latin church in Cyprus – wasconverted into a mosque following thecity’s fall to the Ottomans in 1570. In1954, it was renamed the SelimiyeCami (mosque), after Sultan Selim II,whose reign included the OttomanEmpire gaining control of Cyprus.

Although constructed later than theCathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, thebuilding retains the simplicity, nobilityand grace of that church’s early Gothicstyle, and is this issue’s destination forthe Blue Beret’s cultural heritageseries.

April 2004 - The Blue Beret April 2004 - The Blue Beret

The western porch

The front entrance

The mirhap (prayer niche)

Nicosia

10 11April 2004 - The Blue Beret April 2004 - The Blue Beret

While driving to Ayia Napa,UNFICYP staff and familymembers should consider

taking a break and detouring atXylotymbou and Paralimni. Thestraight and quiet roads are thedivide between the two communitiesin this part of the island. Yes, it willtake more time before you reachyour destination, but meeting theSlovak peacekeepers of 2nd Com-pany’s 3rd Platoon will surely be anunexpected pleasure, both for youand for them, especially after yourealize that you are the reason fortheir broad smiles. They are happyto see anybody who visits them andwill greet you with warm Slovakhospitality.

The 3rd Platoon, also known asthe “Athna Platoon”, is responsiblemainly for the “Corridor Road”, theUnited Nations Buffer Zone patroltrack which borders on the BritishBase Areas of Dhekelia and AyiosNikolaos. The village of Athna issituated just two kilometres to thenorth of Corridor Road. A short dis-tance along the track you will find aunique roundabout – where no onehas the right of way. This blocked-off roundabout is the location of UNObservation Post (OP) 135.

The Athna Platoon patrols theCorridor Road 24 hours a day. Thistrack is flanked by many militarypositions on both sides of the divide.As you continue eastwards alongthis arid road, an unexpected patchof greenery suddenly comes intoview. The Athna camp is hidden justbehind this small forest, strategi-cally placed between UN OPs 138and 139.

The platoon mission here issimilar to that of any other guard

duty (standby radio-operator, patrol-ling, monitoring the area of respon-sibility (AOR), observing andreporting) but with a few addedtasks, the most important of which isdeployment to the liaison post at thevillage of Strovilia. Duty at this postis both demanding and challengingbecause the UN peacekeeper servesalongside a Turkish soldier in thisremote village where Greek Cyp-riots reside. As a result of the easingof freedom of movement in April2003, this small village became anew crossing point between thenorth and the south. Since then, wehave added responsibility within ourunit, monitoringthe movement ofcivilians andvehicles.

The duty sche-dule varies due tothe constant chan-ges that shape thedaily life of theAthna Platoon.You will not findstandard Mondayto Friday workinghours here, due tothe diverse natureof duties. One ofthe most commonquestions among our soldiers is:“Excuse me, but what day is ittoday?” We have become accustomedto the routine, but basically it is arather tedious lifestyle. However, wehave eight days a month for rest andrelaxation.

So, what can we do in our freetime? There are many facilities

available, and nobody has cause tocomplain. There is a gym in thecamp which is open daily, a concretepitch for football or tennis enthu-siasts, a small park for hobby gar-deners, a tiny workshop for buddinggadgeteers, as well as TV/video/satellite/play-station facilities. It isa pity that, with the excellent cyclingconditions in the area, we only havea limited number of bikes.

Whoever decides to leave thecamp is free to plan a trip to thedestination of his choice. Sun, sea,shopping, historical sites or walks –here on this island there are manyplaces of interest.

Relations between platoonmembers are relatively good,despite living together under thesame roof for 12 months. Any minormisunderstandings are cleared upimmediately, because in the frame-work of our demanding job and im-portant mission here, there is simplyno room for internal disputes.

Roundabout Corridor Road Former Finnish Peacekeepers Return

Ateam of eight brave mountain bikers from 3Regiment RHA and BRITCON set out atfirst light on 7 April to cycle the length of the

Buffer Zone. The charity event, attempting to covera distance of 180 kilometres in two days, was overrough terrain and through the foothills of theTroodos mountain range.

Padre Lee Gandiya was “the brains behind thesaddle” and he, together with the hard core of histeam, all completed the gruelling ride taking a totalof 23 hours in temperatures of around 25°C degrees.

More than £1,100 was collected and presented totwo local charities (Cans for Kids [north] andAlkionides [south]) and five international charities(Christian Aid, Tear Fund, Children’s Society,World Vision and USPG).

All team members were saddle-sore but jubilantat having completed the ride successfully –definitely an achievement and a conquest.

Pedal with the Padre

The UNPA was the location for the halfmarathon organised by Sector 2 West,C Battery’s OIC, Maj. Phil Curtis. On

29 February, over 100 runners took part, withCapt. “Mopsy” Monk of the MFR coming inas the first female, and Capt. Jon Cresswell,Adjutant 3 RHA, as the first male.

A very creditable £375 (sterling) wasraised for the British Army Benevolent Fund.

A Run for your MoneyA Run for your Money

Leap Year’sDay Run

The core team which cycled the full 180 km length of the BZ

OC MFR with some of his unit’s runners.From the left (standing): Sgt. Šmajda, Sgt. Radaèovský, SSgt. Jonáš, Sgt.

Zámborský, MSgt. Kolesár, SSgt. Gajan. (Sitting): Capt. Macoška, Capt. Janech

Agroup of 188 former Finnish peace-keepers visited Cyprus between 21-28April, exactly 40 years after the first

Finns arrived on the island in 1964 as part ofUNFICYP.

During their visit, group members visitedold positions and areas where they hadserved on both sides of the island. They alsovisited the UNPA where they were briefed byMaj. Gen. Hebert Figoli, the present ForceCommander, and Col. Ian Sinclair, the Chiefof Staff. The Finnish Contingent then invitedthem to the sauna located in the UNPA.

Maj. Gen. Ahti Vartiainen, the groupleader, served as the UNFICYP Force Com-mander from 1994 to 1997. On 24 April, heand his group laid a wreath at the FinnishMemorial in the area of the former KykkoCamp.

Asked what changes he had noticed since he left theisland, Maj. Gen. Vartiainen said: “During my servicewith the force, I remember well the huge bicommunalevents at the Ledra Palace arranged by UNFICYP andthe participation of many Greek Cypriots and TurkishCypriots – at that time, it was their only opportunity tomeet up and have fun together. That was UNFICYP’s

big success. Today, with the opening of the crossingpoints, they are free to come and go as they wish.

“I have also noticed the enormous amount of build-ing which has taken place, particularly in the north. Theisland is definitely developing.”

Maj. Gen. Ahti Vartiainen (right) with formerUNFICYP Finnish peacekeepers

By MSgt. Roland Kolesár

April 2004 - The Blue Beret 1312 April 2004 - The Blue Beret

SavingPrivate Ryan

On a cold windy Saturday after-noon in late February, UNCIV-POL Sgts. Peter Weedon and

Michael Arena thought they wereseeing things when they drovetowards a horse that was standing inMinefield 2266 between RouteMerlin and Buzzard, just a fewhundred metres from ConcessionRoad in the UNPA.

The roan, part-Arab mare, fondlyknown as “Private Ryan”, was foundto be Turkish Cypriot-owned and hadwandered into the field. Peter andMichael assumed it would just be a matter of timebefore the horse stepped on a mine and took out whoor whatever was in the vicinity.

And so started a vigil by members to try to releasePrivate Ryan from the minefields. Fences on the UNside were laid down or unwired where she was seenin an effort to encourage her to come out. Staffmember Diana Bridger provided feed and waterbuckets to coax the little mare out of her predica-ment.

Six days later, Peter Weedon was successful in en-couraging Private Ryan to cross the fence, after the boys

from Ypenberg Troop left water out for her beside thefence. Peter was able to rope Private Ryan into a cul-de-sac directly in front of OP 50. After having done this,Peter then felt completely out of his depth. He had noprevious experience with horses and needed help.

Thank goodness for mobile phones. Peter rangfor help and was joined by a mixture of Australian,Irish and Cypriot UN employees with horseexperience that eventually caught Private Ryan andled her to Diana Bridger’s stables where she wascared for overnight and returned to her TurkishCypriot owner the next day.

Sir Peter Ustinov, “the man whocould make anyone laugh”, died on

29 March in Switzerland at the age of82.

“He was one of UNICEF’s mosteffective and beloved partners, a manwho exemplified the idea that one per-son can make a world of difference”,said UNICEF Executive DirectorCarol Bellamy.

Born in London in 1921 toRussian, German, French and Italianancestry, Sir Peter said he had“automatic loyalty to something likethe United Nations”.

Though he achieved international

acclaim as an actor, producer, play-wright, novelist and raconteur, SirPeter will be remembered as much forhis work on behalf of children as hiscontribution to the arts. Among count-less awards and honours, he wasknighted by Queen Elizabeth II inrecognition of his artistic and humani-tarian achievements in 1990.

The Secretary-General was deeplysaddened to learn of Ustinov’s deathand extended his condolences to SirPeter’s wife and family. He paidtribute to incurable optimist, remark-able world citizen, and steadfast friendof the United Nations.

The Secretary-General was saddenedby the death of long-time BBC

contributor, the journalist Alistair Cooke,on 30 March. The Secretary-Generalwas a great admirer of Mr. Cooke’srenowned “Letter from America”.

But Mr. Cooke also had a specialplace in the history of the United Nations.In 1945, as a journalist for the Man-chester Guardian, he covered the SanFrancisco conference at which theUnited Nations was founded. And

from 1961 to 1967, he was the produ-cer and on-camera presenter for“International Zone”, a globally distri-buted programme on world affairsproduced by the UN Department ofPublic Information.

The Secretary-General paid tributeto Mr. Cooke’s lifelong efforts to in-crease mutual understanding betweenpeoples, and extended condolences toMr. Cooke’s family and all otherstouched by his death.

UN System Loses Two Old Friends

Alistair Cooke

Sir Peter Ustinov

By Sgt. Jennifer Graham

Ultra Lyte but potent up to 1,200 metres!

Acommon, and sometimes unpopular, sight inUNFICYP is a member of the FMPU monitoringtraffic speed with an Ultra Lyte Speed Meter. Some

observations have been raised regarding the accuracy andcalibration requirements of the speed meter. The aim of thisarticle is to clarify some of the “Old Wive’s Tales” sur-rounding this type of speed meter.

The Ultra Lyte is a hand-held laser speed detection andranging device. It is manufactured in the USA by LaserTechnology Inc, and is one of the most successful devicesof its type, being used by hundreds of police forces through-out the world.

The Ultra Lyte is calibrated every time the shift changes,and if any defect (or suspicion of a defect) is found, themeter is not used.

The Ultra Lyte can acquire a reading in less than half asecond, up to a maximum of 1,200 metres away, but inpractice, readings are only obtained at between 100 and 450metres. The meter is accurate to +/-2 kph. A laser is aimedat the front (or rear) of a target vehicle. This laser is thenreflected back to the meter from the vehicle. The meter thencalculates the time taken for the laser to hit the target andreturn to the meter, which then produces a speed-reading.The strength of the laser is insufficient to harm or discom-fort (let alone “blind”) the driver, even if it is accidentallyaimed at the driver’s eyes.

It is a common misconception that the Ultra Lyteoperator hides in bushes in full combats and camouflage,waiting to jump out at some unsuspecting motorist. In fact,all FMPU operators wear high visibility vests, which areclearly detectable from over 500 metres away.

The Ultra Lyte can measure speed by one of twomethods:

a. It can be aimed directly at a vehicle that is suspectedof speeding. This will give a reading of the speed atthe moment the laser strikes the vehicle. This is themost common method of speed monitoring.

b. The meter can also record an average speed betweentwo fixed locations.

The drivers of some vehicles have been known to slowdown as they pass the operator, and then speed up, appa-rently in the belief that the meter does not work whenmoving away from the operator. This is not the case.Readings are still +/-2 kph in accuracy when a vehicle ismoving away from the operator. The display reading shows“a-” to indicate that the vehicle was moving away, notapproaching.

In addition to being able to measure speed, the meter canalso be used to accurately measure distances. This isespecially useful when producing accurate sketch plans atthe scene of a traffic accident, where it may be dangerous orimpractical for the military policeman at the scene to use ameasuring tape. Using the speed meter as a measuringdevice means that measurements can be recorded from thesafety of the roadside.

It has been asked if anything can be done to detect orstop the meter. Commercially available “jamming” devicesare available (the legality of ownership and use is still un-decided in many countries). These devices will affect thelaser signal, and prevent a reading, however the Ultra Lytehas circuitry that detects when the laser signal is beingjammed, sounding an alarm which will alert the operator,who will then stop the targeted vehicle. Some manufac-turers produce speed meter detection devices, most ofwhich are a waste of money. The ones that do work are alsoof limited use, as they will only warn you that a hand-heldspeed meter is being used against your vehicle, and by thenit is too late!

So enjoy your driving, but stay legal!

American director Sydney Pollack hasbeen given permission to film parts ofa movie starring Nicole Kidman and

Sean Penn at the United Nations. The filmwill be shot in the UN Security Council andGeneral Assembly, said UN SpokeswomanMarie Okabe. She added that Secretary-General Kofi Annan also gave the go-ahead,provided the film respects “UN values”.

Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, said itwas the first time in recent memory theworld body, including Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan and the Presidents of the

Security Council and the GeneralAssembly, had allowed a feature film to bemade in the building. “It is a way of mak-ing the United Nations accessible topeople who would not ordinarily think ofthe UN”, stated Tharoor, instrumental ingetting approval for the film. “We cer-tainly expect to reach far more people thanany public affairs initiative we could haveundertaken”, he said, adding: “Our consis-tent effort under Kofi Annan is to de-mystify the organisation and give people asense of what the UN is all about, how itlooks and how it matters”.

On the Set at UN Headquarters

By Capt. Robert Litavecz

It is with much regret thatUNFICYP bade farewell toSally Kyriakides, the Budget

Assistant in ISS, who took earlyretirement at the end of Marchafter almost 35 years of servicewith UNFICYP.

Sally joined the mission in June1969 when a number of clericalposts opened. Asked where shewould like to work, she said: “Any-where except where figures andmoney are involved”. She ended upin the Finance Section!

Through the years, Sally changed

position but always remained con-nected with figures. Upon retirement,she held the post of BudgetAssistant for Integrated SupportServices and handled the LogisticSupport Account. Her expertise inthis area will be sorely missed.

Sally was held in the highestregard by all she came into contactwith, a very competent and efficientmember of staff who worked har-moniously with all her colleagues.

Sadly, Sally was obliged to retirefive months early due to ill health.We all wish her well.

Frank Joseph Clancy joined the UN in 1975 and hasover 28 years of field experience in the UN systemin the areas of finance, budget, logistics and general

administration. Up to 1986, he held various administrative support

functions in the fields of security, finance, travel/trafficand procurement in UNTSO, UNMOGIP and UNFICYP.From 1986 to 1989, he served as the Deputy CFO in

UNFICYP and was transferred thereafter to UNMOGIP asthe CFO until 1992. He was sent on TDY to UNPROFORin the former Yugoslavia from 1992 through 1995, whereas Budget Chief he managed a budget of more than $2billion. From April 1995 to September 1996, he served asthe Unit Chief for Europe and Latin America, FinanceManagement and Support Service, FALD/DPKO, withresponsibility for 10 peacekeeping missions with totalannual expenditure of $1 billion plus. In September 1996,he took up the post of CFO in UNFICYP.

From May 1999 to February 2002, Mr. Clancy servedas the CAO in UNMOGIP, introducing a much-neededfacelift of the infrastructure, upgrade of communicationsand information technology systems.

Mr. Clancy was appointed CAO in UNDOF in March2002, at the outset of a modernisation programme duringwhich he helped promote civilian/military cooperation andthe evolution of integrated support services.

Mr. Clancy was born on 8 April 1950 in Ireland. He ismarried to Anne, who is accompanying him in the missionarea. Their daughter, Rachel, is now pursuing post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom.

14 April 2004 - The Blue Beret 15April 2004 - The Blue Beret

Frank Clancy,Chief Administrative Officer

New Faces

Sally Retires

Departure of Australian High CommissionerLt. Col. Mar tin BaŁkoCO Sector 4

Lt. Col. Martin Baèko took over on 23 March asCommanding Officer of Sector 4. After studyingengineering, he enlisted in the Slovak Air Force in

1981, graduating from the Military Air Force Command.He completed post-graduate studies in law in 1985.

In 1987, Lt. Col. Baèko was assigned to the HighState Government District in Košice where he headedthe Personnel Section. From 1996 until 2001, he wasHead of the Department of Scientific and TechnicalInformation at the Slovak Military Air Force Institute ofResearch and Experimentation.

Lt. Col. Baèko served with UNFICYP as Adjutant toCommander Sector 4 in 2001. He later worked at theSlovak Ministry of Defence, Operation Managementand UN Missions Department, until his present posting.

Born in Košice on 8 November, 1956, Lt Col. Baèkois married to Eva and they have two children, Martin

(18) and Eva (12). Over the last 15 years, he has deve-loped a keen interest in martial arts. He has an extensivelibrary on this subject, and is also interested in Easternmedicine and philosophy.

New clerks, Anastasia Neocleous and AlexandraOwen, started working at UNFICYP in March and

are very proud to be part of the UN system. Anastasiaholds court at the Supply Unit. She enjoys her morningdrive from Larnaca to the UNPA. However, she doesn’teven want to think about her afternoon return during thesummer. Alexandria comes to us from much closer herein Nicosia. After three years with the U.S. Embassy, shenow works with UNFICYP’s Force Military Police Unit.

Elizabeth Lontok is the Force Commander’s newPersonal Assistant. A seasoned UN staff member,

Elizabeth started her UN career at New YorkHeadquarters in1983. Her adventures with theOrganisation have taken her to Angola in 1992, backto New York with DPKO in 1997, then to Syria in2000, and now Cyprus!! When asked, Elizabethconfidently describes mission life as “rewarding andchallenging”.

Mr. Frank Ingruber, the outgoing Australian HighCommissioner, paid a farewell call to Head-quarters UNFICYP on 8 April. Mr. Ingruber leaves

Cyprus on 28 April after just over four years on the island.The diplomat was met by UNFICYP Chief of Mission

Zbigniew Wlosowicz, and after inspecting a guard of hon-our, he had an informal meeting in the Chief of Mission’soffice with UNFICYP senior staff whom he had regularcontact with during his time in Cyprus.

Mr. Ingruber’s wife Marion was also a well-knownfigure up in Headquarters. She was a regular visitor to thecoffee mornings held by and for the wives of UNFICYPserving personnel and diplomats. She also ran a series of artclasses and exhibited much of her work during her stay onthe island.

UNFICYP wishes Frank and Marion Ingruber a veryhappy future.

40 Years with the NAAFI

Apresentation buffet lunchtook place on 23 April in theWarrant Officers’ & Ser-

geants’ Mess, BRITCON, to sayfarewell to Mrs Loulla Nacouzi onher retirement after 40 years servicewith the NAAFI.

Loulla started with NAAFI inNicosia in 1958, and has spent 36years of her 40-year service in theFamilies Shop on the UNPA.

Andy Leonard, the NAAFIOperations Manager for Cyprus, andLouisa Venizelos, the Nicosia ShopManageress, made the retirement

presentations on behalf of NAAFI,followed by Amina Ravenhill pre-senting a bouquet of flowers onbehalf of all staff from the PropertyManagement Department. A finalpresentation was made by ColonelIan Sinclair CBE, CommanderBRITCON, of a “Certificate of Gra-titude for Exemplary Service to theBritish Contingent UNFICYP” inrecognition and gratitude for 40years exemplary service.

Our sincere best wishes go toLoulla for a very happy and well-deserved retirement.

Anastasia Alexandra Elizabeth