While the government’s initial stance about the migrants stranded in the buffer zone was justifiable, as time goes by it is becoming more difficult to defend. It is leading to a steady deterioration of relations with Unficyp, not to mention the reference made to the government’s stance in the UN Secretary-General’s report and the public criticism by the UNHCR, for the alleged failure to comply with international law.

The government, understandably, wanted to make a point about the 30 migrants stranded in the buffer zone – some since May. It refused to accept them into the Republic and allow them access to asylum procedures because they had entered the buffer zone through the occupied territory. This would also create a dangerous precedent as the buffer zone could be viewed as a gateway to the republic by many more migrants arriving in the north, either by boat or from Turkey.

As pressure to take the migrants to Pournara reception centre increased, President Christodoulides entered the fray, in mid-June, declaring that those who thought they could put pressure on the government – a direct reference to Unficyp and UNHCR – would achieve nothing. More than six weeks later, nothing has been resolved while the number of migrants stranded in the buffer zone has increased, although nobody seems able to give an exact figure. There were about 50 separated into two groups in two different parts of the buffer zone while on Wednesday another 44 arrived and were prevented from entering the Republic by special officers who kept them at the edge of the buffer zone.

The government has been accused of pushbacks, with claims that four of the latest batch of migrants found on the Republic’s territory but returned to the buffer zone by police. Unficyp spokesman Aleem Siddique openly accused the Cyprus authorities of transferring asylum seekers into the buffer zone on Friday. Meanwhile, the Philenews website carried video footage of the migrants, being spoken to by a UN soldier, whom it accused of directing them to territory controlled by the Republic. At the same time, the deputy ministry for migration, issued a defiant statement, saying the Republic “cannot shoulder the omission of Turkey and be called to assume responsibility for irregular migrants who come to Cyprus to Turkey via the occupied territory.”

The deputy ministry, not only accused Unficyp of allowing the migrants to enter the buffer zone “unobstructed”, but it also took exception to the Unficyp spokesman’s comments which “are not conducive to the handling of the matter.” Siddique hit back by saying “we are not border guards,” and he had a point as Unficyp is not in Cyprus to deal with irregular migrants and stop them from entering the republic. The situation is in danger of veering out of control, with the exchange of accusations being stepped.

Does the government now expect Unficyp to set up tents and provide food for 100 migrants stranded in the buffer zone in very difficult conditions? Last week the government said that there was a “a diplomatic effort in progress to resolve the matter,” but it does not seem to be getting anywhere. In the end, the only way to resolve this dispute is by the government backing down and accepting the migrants, because it cannot really afford to destroy its relations with the UN.