UN Security Council, at its meeting on 14 June, adopted a resolution regarding the extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus(UNFICYP) for a further period of six months until 15 December 2000.

The UN Peacekeeping Force has been operating in Cyprus since 1964. The presence of the UN Peacekeeping Force in the Island had not been enough to prevent the Greek Cypriot attacks towards the Turkish Cypriot people and the security of the Turkish Cypriot people was ensured only after the peace operation of 1974. In spite of this fact, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have always paid special attention up to now to be in cooperation with the Peacekeeping Force.

Again at the last UN resolution, it is stated that the mandate of the Peacekeeping Force was extended with the consent of the "Cyprus Government". Nevertheless, there is no Government in the Island, as referred to at the resolution, representing the whole of Cyprus. The so-called "Cyprus Government" is the government of solely the Greek Cypriot party. The operation of the UN Peacekeeping Force in North Cyprus is possible with the cooperation of the Government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The modalities of this cooperation must be laid down by an agreement to be finalized between the TRNC authorities and the UN Peacekeeping Force.

The resolution is in contradiction with the principle of the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot parties.

Turkey does not accept this resolution. Therefore, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will review the future of their relations with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in a comprehensive manner.

It is evident that these developments also do not constitute a positive contribution to the efforts to find a settlement to the Cyprus issue.