Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 06-06-16

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] EU - CYPRUS - TURKEY

[02] UN SC - UNFICYP - RESOLUTION

[03] CYPRUS - UNFICYP

[04] GREECE - UN

[01] EU - CYPRUS - TURKEY

The European Council draft conclusions, expected to be adopted today, clearly refer to the EU statement of 21 September 2005 on Turkey`s obligations towards the EU, including the implementation of the additional protocol extending its customs union to the ten new EU member states.

According to EU sources, the reference is made in paragraph 38 of the draft conclusions, which concerns Turkey.

According to the draft conclusions, the European Council ``reviewed progress made in the acquis screening and welcomes the start of substantive accession negotiations with Turkey`` and that ``Turkey is expected to share the values, objectives and the legal order set out in the treaties.``

[02] UN SC - UNFICYP - RESOLUTION

In resolution 1687 adopted unanimously renewing the mandate for a further six-month period of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Security Council also encourages active participation in bicommunal discussions at the technical level, under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Cyprus.

The 15-member body reiterates ``its call to the parties to assess and address the humanitarian issue of missing persons with due urgency and seriousness`` and welcomes ``in this regard the resumption of the activities of the Committee on Missing Persons since August 2004, as well as the appointment by the Secretary General of a third member who will assume his duties in July 2006.``

It urges ``both sides to avoid any action which could lead to an increase in tension and, in this context, noting with concern sequential developments in the vicinity of Dherinia, the increase in unauthorised construction of building for personal and commercial use in the buffer zone, and developments at certain checkpoints in sector four, including the restrictions on UNFICYP`s freedom of movement and encouraging both sides to engage in consultations with UNFICYP on the demarcation of the buffer zone and to respect UNFICYP`s mandate and operations in the buffer zone.``

Furthermore, it regrets that ``the gap between words and deeds remains too great for the Secretary General to resume fully his good offices mission`` and urges ``progress towards the resumption of negotiations for a comprehensive settlement.``

In this context it welcomes the Secretary General`s efforts to encourage renewed bicommunal contacts and the agreement to a proposal to establish a mechanism for bicommunal discussions at the technical level, as well as the agreement of both leaders to meet on the occasion of the installation of the third member of the Committee on Missing Persons on Cyprus.

It also welcomes ``the progress in demining, particularly in the Nicosia area, and expresses strong support for UNFICYP`s efforts to extend operations to Turkish forces minefields in the rest of the buffer zone.``

It expresses ``concern at continued disagreement over construction activity relating to the proposed additional crossing point at Ledra Street`` and urges ``both sides to cooperate with UNFICYP to resolve this issue.``

It reaffirms all its relevant resolutions on Cyprus, in particular resolution 1251 (1999) of 29 June 1999 and subsequent resolutions, and calls on the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkish forces to restore in Strovilia the military status quo which existed prior to 30 June 2000.

The Security Council notes that the government of Cyprus has agreed that in view of the prevailing conditions in the island, it is necessary to keep the Force in Cyprus beyond 15 June 2006.

It also encourages active participation in bicommunal discussions at the technical level, under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Cyprus, express its full support for the latter and requests the Secretary General to submit a report on the implementation of this resolution by 1 December 2006.

[03] CYPRUS - UNFICYP

Speaking after the adoption of the Resolution, Cyprus` Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis, noted, however, that the Cypriot government would have preferred a stronger message by the Security Council against the unacceptable presence of 40,000 Turkish troops and the continuing violations of the status quo by this Turkish occupation army as well as the restrictions it imposes on the peacekeeping force.

[04] GREECE - UN

Greece`s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, said ``there is no doubt that it is our common wish and desire around this table that the problem of Cyprus finds a just and permanent solution based on Security Council resolutions so that the island be reunified and the two communities enjoy a common future to the benefit of maintenance of peace and security on both the island and the region.``

He said that his country voted in favour of resolution 1687 extending the mandate of UNFICYP because ``it considers that the presence of the peacekeeping force on the island continues to be indispensable and imperative due to the continuing presence of approximately 40.000 Turkish troops on the island and the security threat it represents for international peace and security.``

The Greek ambassador expressed, however, regret that ``the text adopted here today (yesterday), unfortunately, does not convey a sufficiently clear and strong message as to the basis, the scope and the objectives of the UN efforts for a fair and lasting settlement of the problem of Cyprus.``

Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article