Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on - Alexander Downer

Alexander Downer, former Foreign Minister of Australia, was appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 10 July 2008 to serve as his Special Adviser on Cyprus. He assists the parties in the conduct of full-fledged negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement.

Biography

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Alexander Downer, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, as his Special Adviser on Cyprus. He, as a highly respected diplomat, is expected to play an impartial role in helping resolve the Cyprus problem.

Mr. Downer was Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs throughout the term of the , from March 1996 until November 2007. As Foreign Minister, Mr. Downer was deeply engaged in the effort to achieve independence in Timor-Leste, and also played a leadership role in the Bougainville peace process. Mr. Downer was a diplomat in the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1982, serving in the Australian Mission to the European Union, the Australian Representation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and at Australian embassies in Belgium and Luxembourg.

He was the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Parliamentary from May 1994 to January 1995. Mr. Downer has held the seat of Mayo for the Liberal Party continuously since 1984.

Prior to entering Parliament, Mr. Downer held a number of senior positions in Government and the private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in politics and economics and is a Doctor of Civil Laws (honoris causa). He also holds an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Bar Ilan University.

Mr. Downer was born in 1951. He is married and has four children.

Mandate of the SASG

The Special Adviser of the Secretary-General (SASG) on Cyprus serves as the principal person responsible for the Secretary-General’s good offices on the Cyprus problem. He is supported by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General/Chief of Mission of UNFICYP, who acts as his deputy on issues relating to the good offices.

The SASG’s mandate is to assist the parties in the conduct of full-fledged negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem. To this end, the SASG liaises regularly with other parties concerned, including Greece and Turkey, members of the Security Council, and the European Union.

Source: http://www.uncyprustalks.org