The view that the renewal of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is going to be possible “without much difficulty” was expressed by a French diplomatic source, who spoke to the Cyprus News Agency in New York about the relevant consultations at the Security Council, while adding that the renewal is important. Highlighting a “new political situation” on the island, the same source said that the Secretary General has all authority to seek “whatever progress is possible” in relation to a Cyprus settlement.
‘I think that the renewal is going to be possible without much difficulty, which for us is important, because UNFICYP is indeed providing a non-conflictual environment to the two sides for many years’ a French diplomatic source told to CNA.
For France the renewal of the UNFICYP is important, it was added.
The same source said that ‘we noted with interest the result of the ‘elections’ in the Turkish Cypriot part of the island, and we believe that the UN has to grasp this opportunity for renewing the political dialogue between the two sides with the special Good Offices power that have been given to the Secretary General many years ago.’
Paris considers ‘that when you have Confidence Building Measures going on, it is more easy to have talks.’
‘We believe that the Secretary General has all authority to seek whatever progress is possible, given the new political situation, with a new Turkish Cypriot leader [Tufan Erhurman], who is supposedly more open to the bizonal bicommunal solution, and a deeply committed Cyprus President [Nikos Christodoulides] who wants to overcome this decade-long conflict” and work for “a lasting solution in Cyprus’ the French diplomatic source noted.
‘So we have to be dynamic in order to push for renewed discussions between the two sides’ said the same source.
Most of UNSC member-states during closed consultations affirmed UNFICYP’s crucial role in the island and expressed satisfaction about the intensification of the dialogue between the two sides, CNA learns. Moreover, some UNSC member-states underscored the importance of avoiding unilateral actions.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.