The UN intends to establish the first-ever mechanism for direct military contacts between Turkish occupation forces and the National Guard after it was included in the renewal of the peacekeeping mandate on Cyprus (UNFICYP).
The resolution extending the peacekeeping mandate until July 31 notes that the Security Council “calls for the establishment of an effective mechanism for direct military contacts between the sides and the relevant involved parties, and urges UNFICYP, as facilitator through its liaison role, to submit proposals.”
After receiving their ideas, UNFICYP will formulate a proposal that might be acceptable to both sides, a UN source told CNA, adding “these contacts should not be mistaken for recognition.”
The official source said it is up to the two the sides to decide at which level they want to engage on this dialogue, with the UN preferring to involve them at every level, both military and political.
There is no direct military contact between the opposing forces in divided Cyprus and the UN source said, “there will be no direct contact while these proposals are being discussed.”
The intention of the UN is to talk to the two sides separately, listen to their ideas about these military mechanisms. The UN would then add in its own experiences and ideas of how this might work.
Both sides will not be asked to talk to each other without UNFICYP being in the room.
“Having direct contacts doesn’t mean that we are not going to be present, it doesn’t mean that we are going to leave, it doesn’t mean that anybody is being asked to recognize the other side,” the UN source said.
Following the adoption of the Security Council resolution, the Cyprus Foreign Ministry said that in the light of the consultations that took place before the adoption of the resolution, tactics aimed at giving the impression the Cyprus issue is a matter of stabilizing relations between the two communities do not contribute to a solution as foreseen by the relevant UN resolutions.
It pointed out that these approaches send the message that what is required is the normalization of the status quo.
“Moreover, they could be seen as a disincentive to efforts to resume the dialogue picking up from where it left off, at Crans-Montana,” the Ministry said.
Cyprus remains divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.
Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks for a Cyprus settlement have so far failed to yield results.
The last round of negotiations, in July 2017, collapsed at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana. (source CNA)
