UN earmarks $44 million for Cyprus

THE U.N. General Assembly has appropriated around $44 million gross for the maintenance of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for the period July 2003 to the end of June 2004.

According to a report by UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan, one third of the net appropriation, $14.5 million, was funded through voluntary contributions from the government of Cyprus, while $6.5 million was provided by Greece. Expenditure for the period totalled $45.46 million gross.

“Another review of UNFICYP will take place in mid-2005, aimed at proposing a further transformation of UNFICYP, including the possible further downsizing of the mission, based on the experience gained with the new structure that is being implemented from March 2005, and taking into account new developments from that time,” the report said.

The recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions entails a reduction of $152,600 in the proposed budget for UNFICYP for the period from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006.

“Even though a recurrence of fighting on the island is extremely unlikely, the potential for minor, local violence and challenges to the ceasefire regime still exist and therefore the UNFICYP military component still needs to carry out the whole range of tasks entrusted to it, with a greater emphasis on liaison, observation and mediation as well as demining related activities,” the report said.

It also said that given the climate of uncertainty on key political questions and the potential for friction on the island, the force’s political and civilian role had increased in scope and has again become particularly important.

“Since the referendums, contacts between leaders of both sides have ceased and signs of distrust have reappeared. Numerous confidence-building initiatives have, however, been put forward and are in the process of being implemented, with UNFICYP as the sole political interface between the two side,” the report added.

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