Greek Cypriot violations of the United Nations buffer zone are “acts of self-defence”, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday.

Speaking to public broadcaster CyBC as draft copies of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ latest reports on Cyprus were circulated, he stressed that Guterres must not “equate” violations of the buffer zone made on either side of it.

“The militarisation of the occupied areas cannot be equated with the right to self-defence of the victim, which is the Republic of Cyprus,” he said,

He also moved to stress what he perceives as differences between violations of the buffer zone by Greek Cypriot farmers who forced their way through a UN blockade to cultivate land near the Famagusta district village of Frenaros late last year and an incident near Pyla in 2023 which saw a peacekeeper punched in the face. 

“A violation such as the incidents in Pyla last year cannot be equated with violations committed by farmers,” he said.

In a draft of the report seen by the Cyprus Mail on Tuesday, Guterres had criticised “Greek Cypriot farmers defying Unficyp warnings and farming lands too close to the northern ceasefire line”, saying this “created tensions”.

In response, he said, Turkish forces had “on three occasions violated the buffer zone by moving forward to challenge the farmers”.

Letymbiotis had on Saturday warned the UN against “equating” the actions taken by Cyprus’ two sides.

“We expect the relevant UN reports to accurately and objectively reflect the real facts, avoiding equating the defensive actions taken by the Republic with the military violations carried out by the occupying Turkey. Full compliance with all Security Council resolutions is crucial for the restoration of trust and legitimacy,” he said.