U.N. SECRETARY-general Kofi Annan yesterday called for a review of his Cyprus peacekeeping operation UNFICYP, amid speculation that his aim was to drastically reduce the 1,200-strong force.
In his report on the renewal of the force’s mandate, and also in his report on the Cyprus negotiations, both issued in New York last night, Annan, who criticised the Greek Cypriot side’s actions during the failed last round of negotiations, recommended in his report that the force be renewed for another six months until December.
But he said that in the aftermath of what he called the “watershed” vote of April 24, when over 75 per cent of Greek Cypriots rejected his reunification plan in a referendum, he believed that “a fundamental reassessment of the full range of United Nations peace activities in Cyprus is timely.”
He added that he would submit recommendations on the adjustments or restructuring that may be required, and that “meanwhile, I recommend that the Security Council extend the mandate of the Force for a further period of six months until 15 December 2004.”
Annan said the reassessment, to be carried out over the next three months, should include the four-decade old search for peace in Cyprus and consider how best to address the problem in the future.
“It should bear in mind that the implicit central purpose of all peacekeeping operations is to provide an environment conducive to the resolution of conflict,” Annan said in his report.
He said the review would focus on force levels and concept of operations “in the light of the developments on the ground, the positions of the parties and any views the Security Council might have.”
UNFICYP, which has been in Cyprus since 1964, has gradually reduced troops levels over the years and has remained at present levels for the last decade or so. As it stands, the force is stretched to patrol the 180-km buffer zone that divides the island.
The main bulk of the cost of keeping the force on the island is borne by the Cyprus government, with a large share coming from Greece, and the remainder through UN member states’ voluntary contributions and the troop contributing countries..
Soldiers from Britain, Argentina, Hungary and Slovakia are stationed in Cyprus, as are a small number of Irish and Australian UN civilian police.
Had the Annan plan been accepted by both sides, the number of UN troops on the island would have more than doubled to help oversee the transition periods in relation to property and troop reductions.
Reports in the Greek Cypriot press yesterday suggested the move was “a message to the Greek Cypriots” by the international community, which has made no secret of its disappointment over the ‘no’ vote.
The reports said that UNFICYP numbers would be reduced by half to around 600, but Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said yesterday the force was already stretched.
Politis newspaper said the US, which made clear its level of disappointment over the ‘no’ vote, had called for a complete withdrawal of UNFICYP troops and proposed leaving only a small civilian police team to monitor the buffer zone.
But it is unlikely that UN Security Council permanent members Russia, China and France would allow this to happen.
Annan’s report said that the military situation along the ceasefire lines remained generally calm and stable during the past six months, but noted that the number of air violations increased from 49 to 67, of which 20 were by Turkish military aircraft, two by Greek military aircraft, 13 by Cypriot police helicopters and the remaining 32 of unknown origin.
“In line with past experience for the season, there were fewer crossings of the maritime security lines, the seaward extension of the median line of the buffer zone that vessels from either side are advised not to cross”, he added..
Annan also said that restrictions imposed on UNFICYP in July 2000 by the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot security forces, partially eased in May 2003, but continued to hinder the operations of UNFICYP, including in the fenced-off area of Varosha.
“The United Nations holds the Government of Turkey responsible for the maintenance of the status quo in Varosha. The violation of the military status quo in Strovilia persisted,” the report said.
Referring to the crossings of people to and from the north, Annan says that by May 1 2004, 3.7 million crossings by Greek Cypriots to the north and Turkish Cypriots to the south had taken place.
He said that during the reporting period, UNFICYP facilitated 138 bi-communal events at the Ledra Palace Hotel, bringing together 7,300 Greek and Turkish Cypriots, adding that UNFICYP also assisted in facilitating several bi-communal news conferences and seminars leading up to the April 24 referenda.
On the financial aspects of the operation, Annan said the UN General Assembly “appropriated the amount of $43.8 million for the maintenance of UNFICYP for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004, which included the voluntary contribution of one third of the cost of the Force, equivalent to $14.6 million, from the government of Cyprus and the voluntary contribution of $6.5 million from the government of Greece.
“My proposed budget for the maintenance of UNFICYP for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005, which amounts to $47.4 million, is currently under consideration by the General Assembly,” he said. “Should the Security Council decide to extend the mandate of UNFICYP for a further period of six months, the cost of maintaining the Force would be limited to the amount approved by the General Assembly.”
