Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix has stressed that role of UNFICYP over the years is critical.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix was replying to a question from Cyprus News Agency regarding the 60th UNFICYP anniversary, during the press briefing, at the UN headquarters, in New York.
“When we look at the 60 years anniversary of UNFICYP obviously there are mixed feelings. Because, on the one hand there should have been political settlement in Cyprus and this is ultimately what UN is striving for’ he said, indicating at the same time that ‘the role UNFICYP has been playing over the years has been critical in terms of avoiding escalation’.
‘This is a case that two parties need mediator. They are not talking to each other. So, I think it’s an opportunity for both to pay tribute to UNFICYP keepers, of course with fatalities’ he noted.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix urged at the same time ‘for more progress in the political process so that we don’t have to commemorate another such anniversary on the lin
e’.
Replying to a question by the Turkish Correspondent at UN Razi Canikligil regarding the Turkish Cypriot side’s claims that UNFICYP protects only the island and does not try to ensure peace, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations stated that there the is a division of labour in Cyprus, in the sense that ‘the UN is one, but we have on the one hand the legal process with the Secretary General’s (personal) envoy who is currently about to return to Cyprus, and (on the other hand) the peacekeeping operation with Collin Stewart as Head of this operation making sure that the ceasefire will hold, and that no incident will lead to escalation and constantly liaising with the parts to that effect’.
‘This is what really UNFICYP is doing. And of course, it is critical for the political efforts. If the ceasefire is not strengthened in Cyprus, then those conditions for political efforts would be seriously undermined. So in this complementarity at the same time the roles are different’ he explained.
‘I will put i
t differently. I think it is making sure that conditions on the ground will be certain and will not deteriorate so as to make sure that conditions for political efforts to continue will be there. Because if we have again escalation and the ceasefire is not strengthened obviously any political efforts will become almost impossible’ he added.
Source: Cyprus News Agency