New york: The renewal of the mandate for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is anticipated to proceed smoothly, according to a French diplomatic source. The source, speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, emphasized the significance of this renewal amid ongoing consultations at the Security Council. Highlighting a shifting political landscape on the island, the source noted that the Secretary-General is empowered to pursue any viable progress towards a resolution for Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the French diplomatic source stated, "I think that the renewal is going to be possible without much difficulty, which for us is important, because UNFICYP is indeed providing a non-conflictual environment to the two sides for many years." The importance of the mandate's renewal for France was also underscored.
The source expressed interest in the recent election results in the Turkish Cypriot region, suggesting that the UN should leverage this opportunity to rejuvenate political dialogue between the island's factions using the special Good Offices of the Secretary-General. Paris holds that Confidence Building Measures can facilitate these discussions.
The source further noted, "We believe that the Secretary-General has all authority to seek whatever progress is possible, given the new political situation, with a new Turkish Cypriot leader [Tufan Erhurman], who is supposedly more open to the bizonal bicommunal solution, and a deeply committed Cyprus President [Nikos Christodoulides] who wants to overcome this decade-long conflict" and work towards "a lasting solution in Cyprus."
The necessity for dynamic efforts to encourage renewed dialogue between the communities was emphasized by the source. During closed consultations, most Security Council member states affirmed UNFICYP's vital role on the island and welcomed the intensified dialogue between the sides. Additionally, some states stressed the importance of avoiding unilateral actions.
Cyprus remains divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, a resolution has remained elusive, with the most recent negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ending without a conclusion.