Cyprus Issue | UN Security Council adopts resolution on renewal of UNFICYP mandate

Defence Redefined

28/01/2022

Three important points are included in the Resolution on the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate that was unanimously adopted yesterday by the UN Security Council, the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, told CNA, expressing at the same time Cyprus’ partial satisfaction regarding the paragraph on missing persons.

A clear record of the basis for the solution of the Cyprus problem, as defined by the Security Council resolutions, constitutes the reference to the necessity of appointing an envoy of the Secretary-General and the repetition, on the one hand, of the formalities included in the Presidential Statement and the July resolution on UNFICYP regarding Varosia and, on the other hand, the addition of new wording. These are the three important points, Mr. Hadjichrysanthou said.

The Permanent Representative welcomed the adoption of the Security Council resolution extending the terms of the peacekeeping mandate for another six months.

The two important points, as he pointed out, are the clear recording of the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, as defined by the Security Council resolutions, and the reference to the resolution on the need to appoint an envoy of the Secretary-General, an issue that has been pending since last September when the two leaders met for lunch with the Secretary-General. The Security Council calls for the appointment to be expedited with a view to resuming negotiations.

The third and most important issue owing to current developments is the issue of Varosia. The resolution, said Mr. Hadjichrysanthou, includes the same stern words it had repeated last July when it adopted a Presidential Statement and after the resolution on the renewal of the mandate of UNFICYP, which condemned the violations of the Security Council resolutions on Varosia, demanded their termination and reversal of illegal actions. 

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There was no compliance by the Turkish side with the demands of the Security Council and that is why a new wording is observed in the resolution, with the addition in the operative paragraph 13, requesting the observation and the report of the mission on the issue of Varosia. With this change, the Security Council expresses the need for more systematic and important monitoring by the Peacekeeping Force and reporting to the Security Council.

Mr. Hadjichrysanthou also expressed the partial satisfaction of the Cypriot side with regard to the paragraph on missing persons, which could include stronger wording and stronger messages, so that the current situation regarding the Committee on Missing Persons and the non-detection of remains in the exhumations change and the Committee becomes more efficient.

The Committee at issue started with a list of 2002 missing persons when it commenced its work 15-16 years ago and after these years the remains of about 970 missing persons have still not been found, he said. “This was the reason why the Republic of Cyprus expected to hear a stronger message and aimed at the direction of Turkey, which could provide information from its military archives regarding the clearing of the battlefields,” concluded Mr. Hadjichrysanthou. 

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