Ankara: Trkiye on Saturday expressed discontent with the extension of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP) without the consent of the Turkish Cypriots, describing it as contrary to established UN practices and principles.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement following the UN Security Council's adoption of a resolution on Friday that renewed UNFICYP's mandate for another year. Ankara emphasized its strong support for the statement made by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) concerning a resolution to the Cyprus issue.
The ministry critiqued the resolution's reliance on approaches that have been attempted for decades without success, arguing that it hinders the path to a permanent and sustainable settlement based on the island's realities. Moreover, the ministry called on the UN Security Council to treat both sides on the island equally and to exert sincere efforts for a settlement.
The peacekeeping force operates in TRNC territory only with the goodwill of TRNC authorities, the ministry noted, stressing the need for a legal framework for these activities to continue. Should this framework not be established promptly, the TRNC authorities' actions will receive full support from Trkiye.
The ministry also criticized the resolution for including biased references to the construction of the Yigitler-Pile road, a humanitarian project aimed at providing Turkish Cypriots in the buffer zone with direct access to their homeland. The project remains incomplete due to the peacekeeping force's failure to implement an understanding reached between the UN and the Turkish Cypriot side, attributed to pressure from the Greek Cypriot side.
Ankara condemned the resolution's omission of numerous violations of the buffer zone by the Greek Cypriot side, including the Astromerit-Evrihu highway and the university building in Pile. These violations are reportedly increasing daily while being ignored by the peacekeeping force.
The ministry underscored that the sovereignty of the Greek Cypriot Administration does not extend to the north of the island or the buffer zone. It questioned the necessity of the UN Peacekeeping Force, given that peace has been maintained on the island by the Turkish Armed Forces and Trkiye's effective guarantees for half a century.
The ministry reiterated that the most viable solution to the Cyprus issue is the coexistence of two states on the island. It urged the global community and the UN Security Council to recognize this reality, affirm the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, and support cooperation between the two states to promote regional development, stability, and prosperity.
The Cyprus issue has been a longstanding conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite numerous diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement. Ethnic tensions forced Turkish Cypriots into enclaves in the 1960s, and a 1974 Greek Cypriot coup led to Trkiye's military intervention to protect Turkish Cypriots. The TRNC was established in 1983, but the peace process has seen limited success, including a failed initiative in 2017. The Greek Cypriot Administration joined the European Union in 2004, the same year a UN plan to resolve the dispute was blocked by Greek Cypriots.