The United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp)’s mandate was on Friday extended until January 31 next year, following the unanimous passing of a resolution by the UN security council.

All 15 security council members, including guarantor powers Greece and the United Kingdom, voted in favour of the motion, which also took stock of the state of the Cyprus problem.

It stressed the security council’s “full support” for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ efforts to find common ground, and “reiterates the importance of openness, flexibility, and compromise in finding common ground with the goal of returning to formal negotiations”.

It added that the security council “urges the sides to renew their efforts to achieve an enduring, comprehensive, and just settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality”.

To this end, it said it “strongly encourages all parties to seize the opportunity presented by [Guterres’] ongoing engagement, and stresses that the status quo is unsustainable, that the situation on the ground is not static, and that the lack of an agreement furthers political tensions and deepens the estrangement of both communities.”

It then said that this estrangement risks “irreversible changes on the ground” and reduces the prospects of a settlement.

Additionally, it said it urges both sides and all involved parties to “deescalate tensions in and around the buffer zone and to refrain from actions which are not conducive to the broader peace process”, stressing the “importance of respect for the integrity and inviolability of the buffer zone”.

The resolution was written following the submission of a report by Guterres, who had written at length about the various problems facing Unficyp, including that Cyprus’ defence ministry is dangerously and deliberately blurring the lines between civilian and military facilities by “disguising military positions within civilian structures”

He also wrote that Unficyp has “sustained engagements with both sides to seek a way forward” and that “in the meantime, the situation on the Pyla plateau remained calm overall, although incursions by Turkish Cypriot police into the buffer zone area on the plateau persisted on a nearly daily basis”.

Later, he wrote that the number of incursions into the buffer zone near Pyla numbered 1,245 as of November 30, “despite the mission’s protests”.

Guterres’ next report is expected to be submitted on July 4, with another set to be submitted on January 5 next year.

The north’s ‘foreign ministry’ was the first institution in Cyprus to react, writing that extending Unficyp’s mandate “without seeking the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side” is a “mistake”.

It also said it is “unacceptable” that the resolution referred to the “government of Cyprus”, adding that “we strongly reject this approach, which disregards the will and existence of the Turkish Cypriot side”.

“Sovereignty in the north of Cyprus belongs to the Turkish Cypriot people and their state,” it added, saying that it is “crucial that Unficyp carry out its activities in our country on a legitimate basis”.

It also described as “regrettable” the reference to a bizonal, bicommunal, federal solution to the Cyprus problem, saying such a solution is “outdated”.

“Imposing a model that is incompatible with reality and has repeatedly failed is a significant disrespect to the will of the Turkish Cypriot people,” it added.

The Republic’s foreign ministry was more satisfied with the resolution, saying it “reaffirms all previous relevant resolutions on Cyprus and recalls the importance of finding a viable, comprehensive, and just solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality”.

It also highlighted the resolution’s reference to Varosha, in which it had said it “deeply regrets the ongoing disregard of the call for immediate reversal” of the opening of parts of the abandoned, fenced-off area of Famagusta which was opened to the public unilaterally by then-Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ and current Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in October 2020.

“The government of Cyprus fully shares the references to the need to take actions which contribute to reducing tensions, creating an appropriate climate, and building confidence, which becomes even more important given the ongoing processes for a return to negotiations,” it said.

It added, “taking into account the upcoming convening of the enlarged meeting by [Guterres], we reiterate our strong will to actively and constructively support his efforts to resume talks and achieve a comprehensive and just solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the agreed framework”.

Later on Friday evening, Turkey’s foreign ministry said it supported the statement made by the north’s ‘foreign ministry’.

“While Unficyp’s mandate was extended, the Turkish Cypriot side’s approval was not obtained, contrary to the UN’s established practices,” it began.

It added that Unficyp’s activities in the north “can only be carried out within the framework of the TRNC’s authorities’ goodwill” and that “the rapid establishment of a legal basis is essential for the continuation of those activities”.

“We underline that we will fully support the steps to be taken by the TRNC in this context,” it said.

“On the other hand, we are deeply disappointed that the UN security council in its resolution continues to insist on referring to solution models which have long run past their shelf life and have fallen off the agenda in terms of a possible solution.

“A just, lasting, and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem can only be found on the basis of the realities on the ground,” it said, adding that it calls on the security council to “recognise this reality and to affirm the Turkish Cypriot people’s inherent rights to their sovereign equality and equal international status”.