UN mission in Cyprus renewed for six months by Security Council

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months, until 31 January 2016, and welcomed resumed negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders to reach a comprehensive settlement.

Through the unanimous adoption of a new resolution, the Council also urged parties to implement confidence-building measures and looked forward to agreement on further steps, including military confidence-building measures and the opening of other crossing points, which could contribute to a conducive environment for a settlement.

The Council also called on both sides to continue to engage, “as a matter of urgency,” in consultations with UNFICYP on the demarcation of the buffer zone and on the UN 1989 aide-memoire, with a view to reaching early agreement on outstanding issues.

It also called on the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkish forces to restore the military status quo in Strovilia, which existed there before 30 June 2000.

Established in 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek and Turkish communities on the island, UNFICYP is one of the longest-running United Nations peacekeeping missions.