UN envoy expresses hope for Cyprus resolution
The fact described in the text is that the monument ‘In The Service of Peace’ in Cyprus honors 150,000 uniformed personnel who have served in Cyprus, 187 of whom have died there.
UNFICYP
Turkish scenario takes Holguin and the UN out of the Cyprus issue equation
Occupying Turkey is preparing moves following the end of the mission of the UN Secretary General’s envoy on the Cyprus problem. Ankara and its representative in the occupied territories are planning action if a deadlock is established. They aim to change the basis of the Cyprus problem, impose their agenda, and reach a “cooperation agreement” between the two entities. Turkey is pressuring the United Nations to negotiate a separate agreement, but the UN has deemed this illegal. The occupation forces are causing minor crises within the buffer zone to assert control over the area.
Council of Europe rapporteur visits Varosha
– Piero Fassino visited Varosha on Wednesday
– Fassino hopes Varosha will become a “living town” again with the agreement of the two parties concerned
– Fassino’s findings from the visit will be compiled into a report for the PACE’s next assembly in June
– All Council of Europe member states are expected to take the vote on the report into consideration
– Turkish Cypriot observers thanked Fassino for listening to both sides before preparing his report
Unficyp chief briefs Pace on peace-building efforts in Cyprus
Colin Stewart briefed Italian MP Piero Fassino on peacebuilding efforts in Cyprus.
Russia , ‘ready to assist Holguin’, says FM Lavrov
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed willingness to assist in the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, to create conditions for the resumption of negotiations between the island’s communities.
Airport a relic frozen in time (photos, video)
Nicosia’s old airport has been left in a state of disrepair, with authorities only performing upkeep when necessary. The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported this after a guided tour, showing damage from the 1974 Turkish bombings, vandalism, and the overall deterioration of the once bustling travel hub. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp) is tasked with maintaining the status quo at the site, including the old Nicosia Airport, which lies within the buffer zone. Despite efforts, there has been no agreement on reopening the airport, with Unficyp continuing to patrol and maintain the area for safety. Maintenance of the airport and other infrastructure in UN-controlled areas is managed through an agreement between Unficyp and the Republic of Cyprus. Discussions on reopening the airport have not progressed since the early presidencies of George Vassiliou and Glafcos Clerides. Nicosia International Airport, operational from 1968 until 1974, now serves as Unficyp headquarters. The Turkish Air Force destroyed two Cyprus Airways airliners on the ground during the 1974 invasion, and only three flights have occurred since then.
New Nicosia court buildings in five years
The construction of the new Nicosia District Court buildings is expected to be completed in five years, as announced by Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades. This announcement was made following a House legal committee meeting which was also attended by Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis. Preliminary work for the construction, including archaeological and explosives surveys as well as a traffic study, has been completed. An initial costing of the project has also been done. The transport ministry is addressing the need for a second access passage through the adjacent Unficyp camp and is in contact with the department of public works. The next steps include updating the budget to reduce costs, adjusting the designs in consultation with the department of urban planning, and launching an architectural competition. Additionally, the foreign ministry is consulting on moving buildings of the Unficyp camp, with final recommendations expected.
President praises Unficyp, ’s role in peace
President Nikos Christodoulides praised the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp) for its role in restoring peace, stability, and international legality in Cyprus. The force marked its 60th anniversary since its establishment by Resolution 186 in 1964. Christodoulides paid tribute to the 187 peacekeepers who lost their lives and thanked the approximately 150,000 peacekeepers who have served, the UN member states contributing personnel, and the countries supporting Unficyp financially, notably Greece. He mentioned challenges from occupying forces and emphasized that Turkey’s actions aimed to challenge the consent of the sovereign state of the Republic of Cyprus, necessary under international law. The president highlighted the force’s significant role since 1964 and after the Turkish invasion of 1974 in restoring peace and addressing humanitarian issues arising from the invasion.
UNFICYP: A three-month mission that has dragged on for 60 years
On March 4, 1964, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 186 (1964), recommending the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for an initial period of three months, due to the situation in Cyprus potentially threatening international peace and security. The first peacekeepers, including Canadians, British, and Finns, arrived shortly after. Since then, over 100,000 peacekeepers from various countries have served in UNFICYP. The force’s mandate includes preventing tensions between the two sides, maintaining law and order in the buffer zone, and contributing to a settlement by building trust and confidence between the sides. Currently, UNFICYP comprises over 800 military peacekeepers from 17 countries, divided into British, Argentinian, and Slovak contingents, responsible for different sections of the buffer zone. UNFICYP also includes a police force of 69 officers from 13 countries, with Ireland being the main contributor. The mission focuses on preventing tensions and building relationships rather than using force, with the use of force as a last resort. UNFICYP has been successful in maintaining calm and stability in the buffer zone. The mission has seen 187 peacekeepers lose their lives, with the last death occurring in 2015. UNFICYP is planning events to honor those who have worked to maintain peace on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.
Unficyp , ‘continues to injustice Turkish Cypriot people’
The Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, criticized the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (Unficyp) for allegedly being biased against the Turkish Cypriot people and acting under the influence of the Greek Cypriots. He mentioned that construction on a road through the buffer zone between Pyla and Arsos was halted due to the influence of Greece. Tatar also demanded that Unficyp sign a Status of Forces agreement with the authorities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to operate there.