UNSG recommends Unficyp stay for another six months

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has proposed a renewal of the mandate of the Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp) for another six months, it was reported on Tuesday.

Guterres’ biannual report on Unficyp was unofficially given on Tuesday to Security Council members. In it he proposes a renewal of the mandate of Unficyp until July 31 2018, while he notes that as requested by the Security Council, Unficyp maintained its transition plans in relation to a settlement.

“No progress was made in the further elaboration of such plans during the reporting period, however, because of the absence of new developments on the issue between the sides,” he said.

Guterres reiterated that “as stated in the report on my good offices mission in Cyprus dated 28 September 2017, my good offices remain available to assist the sides, should they jointly decide to re-engage in negotiations with the necessary political will.”

“I reiterate my encouragement to the sides to preserve the body of work based on the convergences and understandings reached in the course of the past years of negotiation, and particularly in the period between 15 May 2015 and 6 July 2017,” the UN Secretary General said.

Unficyp, he said in his report, “will continue to contribute, through its activities and assistance to the communities, to creating conditions conducive to a successful settlement process, including by supporting relevant confidence and trust-building initiatives.”

On the matter of hydrocarbons exploration within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, Guterres says that it “remains an issue that could lead to tensions between the various stakeholders.”

“As I have repeatedly stressed, it is important to ensure that any natural resources found around Cyprus will benefit both communities,” the top UN official added.

Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders, he said, had previously agreed that natural resources in a unified Cyprus would lie within the competence of the future federal government. “It remains essential that all parties make every effort to defuse tensions,” he said.

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