The most recent UN Security Council resolution on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for a period of six months was adopted on 30 January 2019.

Both in his report on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus dated 15 October 2018 and his latest report on the UN operations in Cyprus dated 11 January 2019, submitted to the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General had emphasized the need for new ideas, without referring to a specific settlement model. Despite this fact, in this most recent resolution, the UN Security Council has adopted a position which goes beyond the UN Secretary-General’s views. Moreover, 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.

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.

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.

The Conference on Cyprus had closed without an outcome in Crans Montana in July 2017 due to the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriots who consider themselves as the sole owners of the Island and the Turkish Cypriots as a minority. We maintain our view that if a new negotiation process will be launched, it should be result-oriented and all the parameters of the process should be determined beforehand, and in this regard, without excluding the option of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal settlement based on political equality, all alternative models should be on the table.

We believe that any process in the upcoming period can only be successful if it is based on the current realities on the Island and the political equality of both sides.