Russian diplomats have asked for an extension until Monday with regard to a statement the Security Council was going to issue on the attack of Turkish Cypriot personnel in the buffer zone of Pyla on Friday for which they said they expected instructions from Moscow. Russia is the only permanent member of the Security Council that has not condemned the incidents in Pyla, the injuries to peacekeepers and the damage to UNFICYP vehicles. CNA has learnt that on Friday, after the incident, the British delegation drafted and circulated to the 15 members of the Security Council a draft statement to the press condemning the Turkish attacks against UNFICYP and put it under a silent procedure that ended at 3 o'clock on the same day. The Russians asked for an extension of the deadline until Monday because they were waiting for instructions from Moscow, the same information said. Members of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) were attacked on Friday morning while blocking unauthorised construction works by the Turkish Cypriot puppet regime inside the buffer zone near Pyla. The government of Cyprus, the UN and various countries have condemned the incident. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency