Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacts to the decision to extend the UNFICYP mandate

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to the UN Security Council resolution regarding the extension of the term of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) stationed in Cyprus for a period of six months.

Foreign Ministry said: “As we have emphasized in the past, the fact that the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side has not been sought regarding the presence of UNFICYP on the island is an important omission and disregards even the most fundamental principles of the UN on its peacekeeping operations. We expect the United Nations to extend its mandate after seeking the consent of our State as well.”

Written statement is as follows:

“Security Council Resolution 2561 (2021) regarding the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for a period of six months has been adopted on 29 January 2021.

As we have emphasized in the past, the fact that the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side has not been sought regarding the presence of UNFICYP on the island is an important omission and disregards even the most fundamental principles of the UN on its peacekeeping operations. We expect the United Nations to extend its mandate after seeking the consent of our State as well. In addition, we deem it necessary to remind that UNFICYP is only able to carry out its operations on our territory owing to the good will and constructive stance of our authorities. We will continue to be persistent in our rightful request that a formal arrangement be reached between our authorities and the UN, to ensure that it carries out its operations in our territory on the proper basis. In the event that this rightful request remains unmet, it should be known that we reserve the right to re-evaluate our goodwill towards UNFICYP’s operations in our country.

The UN Secretary General, in his Report of the Mission of Good Offices dated 8 January 2021, envisages a 5+UN informal meeting, the purpose of which is to determine whether common vision exist between the two sides and doesn’t refer to any specific settlement model. The Turkish Cypriot side supports the convening of a meeting in this format and with this purpose at an appropriate time. The Turkish Cypriot side is ready to negotiate a settlement model based on two States with sovereign equality and believes that negotiations based only on sovereign equality will bear fruit.

It is unacceptable that the UN Security Council turns a blind eye to the views of the UN Secretary General in its Resolution by making reference to a so-called settlement model which has repeatedly failed. Insistence on a settlement model which has been negotiated between the two sides for over 50 years without producing any result serves the purpose only to perpetuate the status quo on the Island. Negotiation processes of the past, which have enabled the Greek Cypriot side to act under the usurped title of the “Republic of Cyprus” and subjected the Turkish Cypriot people to unjust isolation, are over. It should be known that the Turkish Cypriot People have no time to waste.

The fact that the Security Council attributes the rising tensions on the Island and in our region to the lack of settlement of the Cyprus issue is unacceptable. It is evident that the reason behind tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean is the provocative actions of the Greek Cypriot side, which remains far from a mentality of sharing and cooperating over the hydrocarbon resources. The only way to de-escalate the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is for the Greek Cypriot side to cooperate with the Turkish Cypriot side, the equal co-owners of the natural resources in the region. Should the UN Security Council truly desire an end to tensions, it must call for cooperation, diplomacy and dialogue, aimed at creating interdependencies and eliminating the deep crisis of confidence between the two sides on the Island.

The escalation of tensions on the Island can similarly be attributed to the ill-intentioned actions of the Greek Cypriot side. The fact that the present Resolution, much like the previous one, does not mention the placement of 223 concrete firing positions along the border by the Greek Cypriot administration, using the pandemic as a pretext, is a clear indication that the UN Security Council has chosen to conceal the increasingly hostile steps of the Greek Cypriot side in the buffer zone.

The decisions of the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the closed area of Maraş, which is part of the TRNC territory, are being taken with due respect for international law. We believe that our opening in Maraş, which has become the symbol of the status quo on the Island, should be viewed as a positive development.

It is contradictory that the UN Security Council, on the one hand, calls for confidence-building between the two sides but, on the other, it refrains from noting the obstacles created by the Greek Cypriot administration regarding crossings between the two sides aimed at dealing a blow to the Turkish Cypriot economy. Its silence to such steps of the Greek Cypriot administration only enables the Greek Cypriot leadership to further pursue similar policies. It is high time that the Security Council calls for the necessary steps to be taken to lift the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people in all fields of life, including economy, arts, sports, education and culture.

The Turkish Cypriot side believes that it is possible to establish mechanisms of direct communication and effective cooperation between the authorities of the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot administration, the two equal co-owners of the Island, in fields such as energy, military and others. This is also in line with the calls made in the reports of the UN Secretary General. The sole impediment to such cooperation is the refusal of the Greek Cypriot side to view the Turkish Cypriot side as its equal, as well as the policy of the UN which encourages the Greek Cypriot stance.

The claims in the Resolution that the freedom of movement of UNFICYP is restricted in Maraş and Akyar regions do not reflect the realities on the ground. The UN Security Council has been misled regarding the issue. Our objections on the matter have been put on record.

All our relevant authorities are sharing in detail our views and assessments regarding the reports of the UN Secretary General and the resolution of the Security Council, first and foremost with the UN Secretary General and the Security Council, as well as all other relevant sides.”