The magic of Alex just keeps on giving

Former Australian foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer, seems to have really got things moving in his new role as the UN special envoy to Cyprus.

Rival Cypriot leaders launched intensive talks on Wednesday on reunifying the Mediterranean island which the United Nations described as a “historic” move after three decades of failed diplomacy. ...

“Today is an historic day for Cyprus,” said UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s special envoy, former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, who was at the meeting in the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the divided capital Nicosia.

Yes, it’s a proud day for Australia to see our Alex single-handedly engineer, orchestrate and officiate over such an historic meeting.

Oh, hang on... this was apparently “the fifth [meeting] this year between the two leaders” who are “both seen as pro-settlement moderates.”

Hmm, so maybe they would have got together anyway to advance the cause of reunification, with or without the magic of Alex . . . ?