30 January 2019•Update: 31 January 2019
By Betul Yuruk and Faruk Zorlu
UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday called on Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders and related parties to return to negotiations on resolving the Cyprus issue.
It also unanimously adopted a resolution that renewed the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for another six months.
UNFICYP, one of the UN's longest-running peacekeeping missions, has been on the island since 1964 and its mandate is extended every six months.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.
It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including the collapse of a 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the UK.
Turkey expressed regret over the extension of the mandate.
"The UN Security Council has voiced prejudgments regarding the result of the ongoing contacts by the UN Official assigned on a temporary basis by the UN Secretary-General and the possible future shape of the settlement process," its Foreign Ministry said.
Also, recalling UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s emphasis on the need for new ideas, without referring to a specific settlement model, the ministry said: "In this most recent resolution, the UN Security Council has adopted a position which goes beyond the UN Secretary-General’s views."
"In this respect, this resolution does not make a realistic contribution to the efforts towards the settlement of the Cyprus issue. Furthermore, it is not compatible with the above-mentioned reports of the UN Secretary-General," it said.
The ministry also stressed that: "On the other hand, the fact that the UNFICYP’s mandate has been extended without the consent of the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, in contrast to the established practice of the UN, is another important deficiency of the resolution."
In a statement, the Turkish Cypriot Deputy Prime Ministry and Foreign Ministry said that in addition to the duties and operations of the UNFICYP, the need for a review of the mandate is evident.
The UNSC is expected to take a step on this issue in its next decision.
It is important for the peace and stability of the island to establish a relationship based on cooperation between the two parties on the island. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is ready to take the necessary steps to implement such a mechanism, the statement said.
