The most recent UN Security Council resolution on the extension of the
mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for a
period of six months was adopted on 30 January 2019.
Both in his report on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus dated 15
October 2018 and his latest report on the UN operations in Cyprus dated 11
January 2019, submitted to the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General
had emphasized the need for new ideas, without referring to a specific
settlement model. Despite this fact, in this most recent resolution, the UN
Security Council has adopted a position which goes beyond the UN
Secretary-General’s views. Moreover, the UN Security Council has voiced
prejudgments regarding the result of the ongoing contacts by the UN
Official assigned on a temporary basis by the UN Secretary-General and the
possible future shape of the settlement process.
In this respect, this resolution does not make a realistic contribution to
the efforts towards the settlement of the Cyprus issue. Furthermore, it is
not compatible with the above-mentioned reports of the UN
Secretary-General.
On the other hand, the fact that the UNFICYP’s mandate has been extended
without the consent of the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus, in contrast to the established practice of the UN, is another
important deficiency of the resolution.
The Conference on Cyprus had closed without an outcome in Crans Montana in
July 2017 due to the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriots who
consider themselves as the sole owners of the Island and the Turkish
Cypriots as a minority. We maintain our view that if a new negotiation
process will be launched, it should be result-oriented and all the
parameters of the process should be determined beforehand, and in this
regard, without excluding the option of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal
settlement based on political equality, all alternative models should be on
the table.
We believe that any process in the upcoming period can only be successful
if it is based on the current realities on the Island and the political
equality of both sides.