This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/13/united-nations-first-female-commander-peacekeeping-force-kristin-lund
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
UN appoints first female commander of peacekeeping force | UN appoints first female commander of peacekeeping force |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The first woman has been appointed to command a United Nations peacekeeping force – a Norwegian general who has served in Lebanon, the first Gulf war, Bosnia and Afghanistan. | |
Major General Kristin Lund will replace Chinese Major General Chao Liu on 13 August as commander of about 1,000 peacekeepers in Cyprus, the UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced on Monday. | Major General Kristin Lund will replace Chinese Major General Chao Liu on 13 August as commander of about 1,000 peacekeepers in Cyprus, the UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced on Monday. |
Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot south since 1974 and talks have resumed to reunite the Mediterranean island. | Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot south since 1974 and talks have resumed to reunite the Mediterranean island. |
Lund said she had been to Cyprus several times and was looking forward to the challenges of her new job – maintaining the ceasefire and supporting efforts to deal with minefields, unaccounted people and property disputes, among other issues. | |
She told the Associated Press she was proud to crack the glass ceiling in UN peacekeeping. "I think it's time, and I think it's important that other women see that it's possible also in the UN system to get up in the military hierarchy to become a force commander." | She told the Associated Press she was proud to crack the glass ceiling in UN peacekeeping. "I think it's time, and I think it's important that other women see that it's possible also in the UN system to get up in the military hierarchy to become a force commander." |
Lund, 55, joined the Norwegian army in 1979 and went on her first overseas mission in 1986 as transport officer with the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. | Lund, 55, joined the Norwegian army in 1979 and went on her first overseas mission in 1986 as transport officer with the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. |
She said that was where she fell in love with the UN and learned that "maybe the most important weapon that you have is communication and to build relations". | She said that was where she fell in love with the UN and learned that "maybe the most important weapon that you have is communication and to build relations". |
Previous version
1
Next version