By Jean Christou
UNITED NATIONS success in keeping the peace in Cyprus should not lead to complacency, and letting time slip by will not help resolve the situation, Unficyp’s Chief of Mission Dame Ann Hercus believes.
On the occasion of 35 years of Unficyp this week, Dame Ann told The Sunday Mail the force has succeeded in helping both sides keep a ceasefire for the past 25 years.
“But this success should not lead to complacency,” she said. “All our efforts should be devoted to imagine and attain a more prosperous and peaceful future for both communities. Peaceful solutions have been found to other long-standing disputes – it can be done in Cyprus as well.”
Unficyp has in the past been described as a victim of its own success by keeping the two sides apart so well that they may have become complacent in their efforts to reach a settlement of the Cyprus problem.
“The fact that Unficyp has been here for 35 years should be a constant reminder to both sides of their shared responsibility to do everything humanely possible to reach a solution,” Dame Ann replied to a question on whether she envisaged a UN presence here for another 35 years.
She believes that if Unficyp left tomorrow tension would increase, and the force is therefore “vital” in maintaining the ceasefire “as a bridge between the soldiers, but more importantly, as a bridge between both communities, until a political settlement has been reached”.
Dame Ann has been engaged in secret shuttle talks between the two sides since last October after being mandated by UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan to try to reduce tension and possibly help kick-start stalled political negotiations.
“The international community can help in negotiations, it can provide for peace-building measures after a settlement, but it is for the two sides to take the decisions required for a settlement. Letting time slip by will not make these decisions any easier,” she said.
A western diplomatic source who did not wish to be named agreed that Unficyp was doing such a good job that the two sides had little incentive to make an effort.
“It’s not the fault of the UN, but life has become very comfortable for the two sides with Unficyp here,” the source said.
But the UN force is not immune to criticism from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, each of whom has accused Unficyp of partiality towards the other.
Most recently, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has delayed the appointment of a new force commander by insisting that the replacement for the current Argentinian commander not come from an EU member country – because of the Turkish side’s annoyance with the bloc over its accession negotiations with Cyprus.
The Greek Cypriot side has also had its run-ins with the force when it perceived direct or indirect Unficyp recognition of the Denktash regime, in spite of UN resolutions which clearly spell out the international illegality of the breakaway ‘state’.
Although those on the official side who work closely with Unficyp have nothing but praise for the force, there are many who feel the UN did not do enough to prevent the 1974 Turkish invasion and still does not do enough today.
Among them is Diko deputy Marios Matsakis. who told The Sunday Mail the UN should take a more positive role “instead of being so-called impartial observers”.
“In cases where the blame lies with one side they have to state it clearly, ” he said. “They are so neutral they say nothing at all.”
