We are grateful to UNFICYP for the 60 years of service, but we need soon to put a stop to its presence in Cyprus and the only way to do so is to have a solution of the Cyprus problem, said Foreign Affairs Minister Constantinos Kombos on Friday, during an event organised at the Old Town Hall of Nicosia for the 60th anniversary of UNFICYP's establishment. For his part, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Colin Stewart urged all relevant actors to seize the opportunity of the appointment of a Personal Envoy by the Secretary General and work with her for a mutually acceptable way towards a lasting peace. In his address, Kombos paid tribute to 'the thousands of men and women who have served and continue to serve for the benefit of peace in Cyprus' and expressed the 'gratitude of the government of the Republic of Cyprus and all the people of the Cyprus to the UN and also to the 43, soon to become 44, troop-contributing countries.' Referring to the historical context, the Foreign Minister said tha t on March 4, 1964, the UN Security Council adopted the resolution 186, recommending the creation, with the consent of the government of Cyprus, of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, which was tasked to preserve international peace and security, prevent the recurrence of fighting and contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and the return to normal conditions. The Force was originally given a three-month mandate, it has been 60 years since, continued Kombos, adding the especially during the Turkish invasion in 1974 UNFICYP's contribution has been extremely important, while paying tribute to the 187 peacekeepers that have lost their lives while serving in Cyprus. He added that in the immediate aftermath of the Turkish invasion, UNFICYP assisted the High Commissioner for Refugees, the ICRC and other international organizations in relief efforts, rendering assistance to the victims, facilitating deliveries of medical and food supplies and working for the location of missing persons, as well as the release of prisoners. According to the Foreign Minister, the enforcement mandate for the prevention of the reoccurrence of fighting meant the supervision of an 180 km long buffer zone between the ceasefire lines and an expanded humanitarian mandate in providing emergency assistance and humanitarian relief for the displaced, remaining still today a key point of contact as regards enclaved people. He added that throughout these six decades UNFICYP has supported the efforts of the Good Offices Mission of the UN Secretary General in their continued search for a peaceful settlement. Referring to the exhibition, Kombos said that it is a snapshot of the country's history and noted that the depiction of history serves as a reminder that we are still facing significant and serious challenges, such as the recent forward movements of the occupying forces, as well as the recent attacks against members of the peacekeeping force, an act that the international community has condemned in the strongest possible terms. 'UNFICYP has played a valuable role. We are grateful to the UN for the 60 years of service. We are thankful to the troop- and police-contributing countries, to the 150,000 men and women in uniform that have served with UNFICYP over the years. We need soon to put a stop to the presence of UNFICYP in Cyprus. The only way to do so is to have a solution of the Cyprus problem, we remain forever grateful', concluded the Foreign Affairs Minister. For his part, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus and head of UNFICYP Colin Stewart said that next Monday marks an important but sad anniversary for the United Nations presence on the island, as six decades ago, on March 4th 1964, the United Nations Security Council, alarmed by the escalation of intercommunal violence adopted its resolution 186 and decided that the situation demanded the establishment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force and the appointment of a mediator on the Cyprus issue. 'Little did they imagine that 60 years l ater, that same peacekeeping mission and mediation would still be working and that the Cyprus problem would remain unresolved,' he noted. Stewart also paid tribute the 43 Member States and the more than 150,000 women and men from their military and police forces who have served with UNFICYP since 1964, as well as the 187 personnel 'who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives while serving the cause of peace in Cyprus'. 'Sixty years is a very long time. Throughout the years UNFICYP has adapted its work to the realities of the island, from a force of 6,000 military and police men in 1964, indeed there were very few women in those days, to a lean and integrated team of some 1,100 military, police and civilian women and men today, including women in leadership roles, we have striven to prevent further conflict and create conditions for settlement by bridging the divisions between the communities and helping build confidence in a shared future,' he added. Stewart also mentioned that UNFICYP has not suc ceeded in every aspect of its mandate adding that the work of the peacekeepers and the Secretary General's Good Offices, always guided by the principle of impartiality, has helped build and maintain peace on the island. He noted at the same time that peacekeeping is not a solution and it is certainly not intended to remain in place for six decades, with the absence of a solution for all this time having translated into a deep and growing divide between the communities and has increased militarization of the buffer zone, keeping UN peacekeepers busy with hundreds of incidents of various types every year. He added that the anniversary should serve as a reminder to all that while peacekeeping can help prevent the recurrence of violence, which has in fact been successfully achieved for the past 50 years, a resolution of the conflict once and for all will involve the political will and the courage of leaders. 'That the Cyprus issue has remained unresolved for so long should be a matter of utmost urgency to all Cypriots and to their friends and partners in the international community. I hope that all relevant actors will seize the opportunity of the appointment of a Personal Envoy by the Secretary General, to work with her, with genuine commitment and take the courageous steps that are needed to find a mutually acceptable way towards a lasting peace. This is an opportunity that must not be missed,' concluded the UN official. Nicosia Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis welcomed in his address the initiative taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the organisation of the event expressed his gratitude to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force for its significant role along the Green line, especially in the walled city of Nicosia. "We hope that soon your presence will not be necessary, hopefully, when our divided city is free again and reunified", he added. Until that time comes we rely on you to continue your valuable mission, continued Yiorkadjis, adding that at the same time, to foster a climate of trust between the two communities, UNFICYP has contributed in other ways besides the supervision of the Green Line, mentioning as an example the signing in 1980 of the Nicosia masterplan between the G/C and T/C communities under the auspices of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), adding that many of the masterplan's projects could not have been realised without the intervention and in many cases the funding of the UNDP and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). He also highlighted the aid in the construction of the wastewater treatment plant in the Turkish occupied Mia Milia area with the help of UNDP and the extension of the Pedieos linear park, which will include part of the buffer zone. 'As we celebrate the 60 years of UNFICYP's presence, what matters most is realising the power of cooperation and constructive dialogue. Only through collaboration with constructive dialogue, we can shape a better future for the next generations', concluded Yiorkadjis. Foreign Minister Kombos subsequently presen ted Colin Stewart with a commemorative plaque in acknowledgment of UNFICYP's services during the past 60 years. Officials and other guest proceeded afterwards to the exhibition room, which depicts key moments of the mission's history on the island. 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. Source: Cyprus News Agency
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