Government ‘received assurances’ UN resolutions covering Unficyp won’t be violated

The government has received reassurances that nothing will violate UN Resolutions on Unficyp’s mission, government spokesman Marios Pelekanos said on Monday.

Commenting on reports last week that the north had requested Unficyp make an agreement with their ‘government’ to remain in place, Pelekanos said that the UN only signs agreements with recognised countries, and the buffer zone is used with licence from the Republic of Cyprus government.

Speaking to CyBC radio, Pelekanos said that the breakaway regime is continuing to make “unacceptable claims” to “present itself as a sovereign entity.”

Last week the UN confirmed it had received a request from the Turkish Cypriot side for its peace keeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) to reach an agreement with the breakaway regime to remain active in the north.

UN Secretary General Spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed the receipt of a letter and said: “Issues dealing with Unficyp are part of our frequent and continuous dialogue with the Turkish Cypriot side.”

He added that Unficyp continues to work closely with both sides.

Earlier in the week, Turkish Cypriot ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu had said that Unficyp was handed an ultimatum, saying the force had one month to make an agreement with the ‘government’ or leave their bases in the north.

Commenting on the matter after a meeting in New York with Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said the two had spoken about the letter in question.

He added that it is unacceptable because the letter came from a ‘non-existent’ state, and he was certain Unficyp would deal with the matter in such a way.

Weighing in on the matter, the foreign ministry said that it is taking the appropriate steps and staying in contact with the peacekeeping force.

The ministry added that Unficyp’s mandate is clarified in the resolutions on Cyprus of the UN Security Council.

“The presence of the force remains unchanged,” Unficyp Spokesman Aleem Siddique said.

According to reports in the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, the ‘government’ in the north’s ultimatum to Unficyp had asked them to recognise their ‘state’ or leave.

Ertugruloglu said if Unficyp does not make an agreement with the breakaway regime then they will need to abandon their two stations in the north.