Cyprus Force mandate extended through 15 June.

Cyprus Force mandate extended through 15 June

The Security Council on 14 December 1987 extended the mandate of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months until 15 June 1988. The Council, in adopting resolution 604 (1987) unanimously, also asked Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar to continue his mission of good offices and called upon all parties concerned to continue to cooperate with the Force "on the basis of the present mandate". The Force was created in 1964 to help prevent a recurrence of fighting and restore normal conditions to the island. It also supervises cease-fire lines and performs humanitarian tasks. With a total strength of some 2,080 troops, UNFICYP is under the command of Major-General Gunther G. Greindl of Austria

The Secretary-General reported to the Council (S/19304 and Add.1) that UNFICYP had continued to fulfil its functions in an exemplary manner, often under difficult conditions. Since, however, the situation in Cyprus remained precarious, he recommended that the Force's mandate be extended.

He said he was seriously concerned that the negotiating process had been deadlocked for 18 months. An improved climate needed to be created to restore some confidence between the two sides. Both parties should co-operate with Oscar Camilion, his new Special Representative, to find ways to advance towards a solution.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar stated that tension between the two sides had continued largely because of the military buildup on the island and the "persisting problem" in Varosha, where students attending a university established by Turkish Cypriot authorities in Famagusta and who were reportedly dependents of personnel of Turkish forces in Cyprus had been housed in two hotels inside Varosha's fenced area.

He recalled that he had told the Turkish authorities that the strengthening of their forces in Cyprus was likely to result in similar action by the Greek Cypriot side, and had again appealed to them to make a start by reducing their forces on the island. Any military buildup in Cyprus was cause for concern, he added, and the current buildup on the island, when combined with each side's perception of the other's intentions, had created a serious situation that needed to be redressed. He continued to think that the scheme for the verification of military forces that he had previously proposed would be useful in reducing tensions.

The Secretary-General said he had urged Turkey that the status quo in Varosha be restored. Mr. Denktash had assured him that he had no intention of changing that status quo, that the presence of students there was a temporary measure, and that the hotels would be vacated as soon as alternative accommodation had been arranged for the students. The Greek Cypriot side had protested about that matter. President Kyprianou had urged the Secretary-General to seek agreement on the transfer of Varosha to United Nations administration in line with Council resolution 550 (1984) and the 1979 high-level agreement.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar reported that he had met President Spyros Kyprianou of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in October in New York. He had conveyed to them his serious concern about the persisting deadlock and continuing tensions between the two sides and asked them to take steps to improve the atmosphere between the two communities. He had also reaffirmed his determination to pursue his efforts to find a way, acceptable to all to all, of negotiating a settlement based on the high-level agreements of 1977 and 1979.

President Kyprianou had raised the issue of the presence of settlers from Turkey in the northern part of the island, stating that their number had reached some 65,000. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side had stated that some Turkish Cypriots living abroad had decided to return to the island's northern part and that 14,000 temporary and seasonal Turkish and other workers had also been admitted in view of the shortage of skilled and unskilled labour. The Secretary-General urged that nothing should be done to change the island's demographic composition.

President Kyprianou had reiterated his view that an international conference should be convened to give priority attention to the withdrawal of Turkish forces and settlers and to international guarantees. Mr. Denktash had repeated his readiness to negotiate all issues as an integrated whole once the Greek Cypriot side had accepted the draft framework agreement of 29 March 1986.

Photo: The people of Cyprus