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Turkey on Thursday said it regrets the recent UN Security Council resolution on the extension of the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Cyprus for a period of six months.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said: “Regrettably, the wordings prejudging the future conduct of the Cyprus settlement process which were included in the last two resolutions on UNFICYP, namely Resolution 2369 adopted on 27 July 2017 and Resolution 2398 adopted on 30 January 2018 — have been retained in the text of this resolution as well.”
Turkey said it saw no meaning in the wordings contained in the most recent resolution of July 26.
“Turkey sees no meaning in these wordings contained in the most recent resolution of July 26 on the extension of UNFICYP’s mandate, which prejudge the result of the contacts by the Secretary General’s consultant and the possible future shape of the settlement process. These wordings also do not contribute to the settlement of the Cyprus issue,” the statement said.
Issued hours after the Security Council authorized a six‑month mandate renewal for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) as of July 26, the undivided decision to extend the mission comes amid a United States of America push to downsize the force, which stands at 872 UN personnel.
Several countries are providing military and police personnel to the United Nations operation in Cyprus as at 20 June 2018.
Military personnel from Argentina total 239; Austria 4; Bangladesh 2; Brazil 2; Canada 1; Chile 14; Hungary 65; Paraguay 14; Serbia 45; Slovakia 141; Ukraine 2; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 278.
Police personnel have been provided by Bosnia and Herzegovina 11; Bulgaria 3;
China 6; Ireland 12; Italy 2; Lithuania 1
Montenegro 4; Romania 4; Russian Federation 6 ; Serbia 2; Slovakia 3; Sweden 2 and Ukraine 9.
UNFICYP was established by the Security Council in 1964. The mission’s mandate has been renewed for six-month terms since then.
According to the Foreign Ministry, any process in the coming period can only be successful if it is based on the current realities of the island and the experience gained from the negotiations conducted during the past half century, and if it aims for suitable expectations and outcomes.
The US, which wants to either reduce or do away altogether with the peacekeeping mission, is seeking immediate action from the island’s leaders to resolve the conflict.
The Greek Cypriot administration is worried about the likelihood of the force being reduced or closed down while the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), on the other hand, argues that the peacekeeping mission in the island has lost its main purpose.
Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island’s Turks and Ankara’s intervention as a guarantor power.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey while the Greek Cypriot administration is a member of the EU and is internationally recognized by all nations except Turkey.
The Republic of Cyprus was founded in 1960 in accordance with international treaties. The Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot people, in their respective as two political equals, entered into a partnership , setting up a joint state. The legitimacy of the 1960 Republic lay in the joint presence and effective participation of both people’s in all organs of the State. After the event of December 1963, the partnership Republic of Cyprus collapsed and since then, there has not been a joint central administration in the and each side has since ruled itself.
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