The Foreign Ministry has described as “worrying” the decision to extend the UN Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus’ (UNFICYP) mandate for another six months. This is both in regard to the content of its report and from a technical point of view.
In a written statement, the ministry said that the UN has made a written submission to the Security Council that it favours the continuation of the status quo on the island. The statement says that the ministry has “serious objections” regarding many points in the report and that these objections will be conveyed to the UNSG and UN officials both by the ministry itself and the TRNC’s representation office in New York.
“In general the report is evaluated as an implicit compromise for the wishes of the Greek Cypriot side not to change the status quo and for the UN Peace Keeping Force to maintain its position”, the statement read.
The report’s approach strengthens UNFYCYP’s character of becoming a symbol of the status quo in Cyprus, it added. In order for the Peace Keeping Force to continue its presence on the island, the report is trying to give the “incorrect impression” that the UNFICYP is the side which ensures peace and stability and thus it opens the door to “artificial agendas created by the Greek Cypriot side”, the statement concluded.
Kibris
