The UN Security Council unanimously voted on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus for another six months, until January 31, 2023 and asking the General Secretary to submit a new report on January 3, 2023.
?ccording to Cypriot diplomatic sources, the final draft of the UN Secretary General’s resolution is satisfactory. Positive references according to the same sources include strong wording over Turkish actions in the fenced off city of Varosha and the fact that the Security Council encourages the Secretary General to appoint a special envoy on the Cyprus problem.
It should be noted that the resolution begins “Taking note of the report..” instead of “Welcoming the report..” because Russia did not want to welcome the report due to references within about the war in Ukraine.
The resolution recalls the status of Varosha as set out in relevant resolutions, including resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992), and its Presidential Statement (S/PRST/2021/13) which condemns the 20 July 2021 announcement by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders on the further reopening of a part of the fenced-off area of Varosha.
It expresses “deep regret regarding unilateral actions that run contrary to its previous resolutions and statements on Varosha and calls for the immediate reversal of this course of action and of all steps taken on Varosha since October 2020, deeply regrets that recent actions have not been in line with this call for immediate reversal, and reiterates once again that no actions should be carried out in relation to Varosha that are not in accordance with its resolutions and continues to stress the need to avoid any unilateral actions that could raise tensions on the island and undermine the prospects for a peaceful settlement.”
It further reiterates “its support for the Secretary-General’s proposal for dialogue between the parties and the Special Representative to explore a possible agreement on surveillance technology and the removal of positions adjacent to the no-fly zone, and regrets the lack of progress since this view until today.”
?ccording to diplomatic sources a point that Cyprus wished to strengthen but in the end remained unchanged is the wording about the missing persons in Cyprus.
The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to submit by 3 January 2023 a report on his Good Offices, in particular on progress towards reaching a consensus starting point for meaningful results-oriented negotiations leading to a settlement.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Numerous rounds of talks under the UN aegis to reunite the island under a federal roof failed to yield results.
UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. Resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.
Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha.
On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.
Source: Cyprus News Agency