Nicosia, Nov 6 (IANS): The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Colin Stewart of Canada as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), a UN press release issued in Nicosia has said.

The press release by the UN mission in Cyprus on Friday said Stewart, who succeeds Elizabeth Spehar of Canada, will also perform the role of Deputy to the Secretary General's Special Adviser on Cyprus.

The UN said Stewart, who most recently served as Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), brings a demonstrated record of leadership and management, with over 28 years of experience in peace and security and international affairs.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus has also a mandate by the Secretary General to promote peace negotiations between the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities in Cyprus, Xinhua news agency reported.

Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey intervened militarily following a coup by Athens-backed Greek Cypriots.

Stewart's appointment came after meetings Guterres had with Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in New York on September 27 this year.