UN chief Ban Ki-moon has named the first ever female head of a UN peacekeeping operation, appointing a Norwegian commander to the UN mission in Cyprus.
Major General Kristin Lund of Norway, 56, will replace outgoing Major General Chao Liu of China in mid-August.
Lund, who has 34 years' experience at home and with UN forces, served as deputy of the Norwegian Army Forces Command from 2007 to 2009 and chief of staff of the Norwegian Home Guard.
She was also involved in UN missions in Lebanon and the former Yugoslavia.
The UN peacekeeping mission for Cyprus, UNFICYP, was established in 1964 to prevent the recurrence of fighting between Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.
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A force of 930 soldiers and 66 police patrol the ceasefire lines and buffer zone, undertaking humanitarian activities and supporting the UN mission in general.
The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece.
