Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-06-16

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] UN - RESOLUTION - UNFICYP

[02] CYPRUS SPOKESMAN - NO CONCESSIONS

[03] HOUSE PRESIDENT - SLOVENIA

[04] FM - TURKEY - EU NEGOTIATIONS

[01] UN - RESOLUTION - UNFICYP

The Security Council reaffirms that the status quo in Cyprus is unacceptable, that the time is not on the side of a settlement and that negotiations on a final political solution of the Cyprus problem have been at an impasse for too long.

The Council expresses full support of the 8 July process, notes with concern the lack of progress and calls upon all parties involved to immediately engage constructively with the UNs efforts to demonstrate measurable progress in order to allow fully-fledged negotiations to begin, and cease mutual recriminations.

The resolution welcomes the principles and decisions enshrined in the 8 July agreement, stressing that a comprehensive settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation and political equality, is both desirable and possible and should not be further delayed.

The Security Council agrees with the Secretary General that the responsibility of finding a solution lies first and foremost with the Cypriots themselves and notes that the primary role of the United Nations in assisting the parties to bring the Cyprus conflict and division of the island to a comprehensive and durable settlement.

Turkish troops have been occupying 37 per cent of Cyprus territory since 1974, ignoring repeated UN resolutions calling for their immediate withdrawal from this east Mediterranean island, an EU member state since 2004.

The full text of the resolution is as follows:

The Security Council,

PP1. Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 4 June 2007 (S/2007/328) on the United Nations operation in Cyprus,

PP2. Noting that the Government of Cyprus is agreed that in view of the prevailing conditions in the island it is necessary to keep UNFICYP beyond 15 June 2007,

PP3. Echoing the Secretary Generals firm belief that the responsibility of finding a solution lies first and foremost with the Cypriots themselves and noting the primary role of the United Nations in assisting the parties to bring the Cyprus conflict and division of the island to a comprehensive and durable settlement,

PP4. Taking note of the assessment of the Secretary-General that the security situation on the island and along the Green Line remains generally stable, but noting with concern the increase in the overall number of violations of the buffer zone, and urging both sides to avoid any action which could lead to an increase in tension,

PP5. Underlining that activity in the buffer zone should not be at the expense of stability and security, and noting the Secretary-Generals firm belief that the situation in the buffer zone would be improved if both sides accepted the 1989 aide-memoire used by the United Nations,

PP6. Welcoming the principles and decisions enshrined in the 8 July agreement, stressing that a comprehensive settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation and political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council resolutions, is both desirable and possible and should not be further delayed,

PP7. Noting, with regret, the failure to date to implement the 8 July agreement, and urging the leaders of both communities to act to start the process without delay in order to prepare the ground for fully-fledged negotiations leading to a comprehensive and durable settlement,

PP8. Regretting that demining activity in the buffer zone has stalled, welcoming the provision by the European Union of funds to support these activities, and urging the Turkish Forces and the Turkish Cypriot side to allow the resumption of demining activities,

PP9. Reiterating its call to the parties to assess and address the humanitarian issue of all missing persons with due urgency and seriousness, and welcoming in this regard the progress and continuation of the important activities of the Committee on Missing Persons; expressing the hope that this process will promote reconciliation between the communities,

PP10. Welcoming the continuing crossings of the Green Line by Cypriots and encouraging further progress on other confidence-building measures, such as the opening of additional crossing points including, but not limited to, at Ledra Street, taking into account the arrangements already in place at existing crossing points,

PP11. Welcoming all efforts to promote bicommunal contacts and events, including, inter alia, on the part of all United Nations bodies on the island urging the two sides to promote the active engagement of civil society and the encouragement of co-operation between economic and commercial bodies and to remove all obstacles to such contacts,

PP12. Expressing concern, in this respect, that opportunities for constructive public debate about the future of the island, within and between the communities, are becoming fewer, and that this atmosphere is hampering, in particular, efforts to foster bicommunal activities intended to benefit all Cypriots, and to promote reconciliation and build trust in order to facilitate a comprehensive settlement,

PP13. Reaffirming the importance of the Secretary-General continuing to keep the operations of UNFICYP under close review while continuing to take into account developments on the ground and the views of the parties, and reverting to the Council with recommendations as appropriate for further adjustments to UNFICYPs mandate, force levels and concept of operation as soon as warranted,

PP14. Noting the unacceptable accommodation conditions endured by many UNFICYP troops, and welcoming the recent commitment by the Republic of Cyprus to address this issue without delay,

PP15. Echoing the Secretary-Generals gratitude to the Government of Cyprus and the Government of Greece for their voluntary contributions to the funding of UNFICYP, and his request for further voluntary contributions from other countries and organizations,

PP16. Welcoming and encouraging efforts by the United Nations to sensitize peacekeeping personnel in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in all its peacekeeping operations,

1. Welcomes the observations in the Secretary-Generals report;

2. Expresses full support for the 8 July process, notes with concern the lack of progress, and calls upon all parties to immediately engage constructively with the UNs efforts, as described in Under-Secretary-General Gambaris letter of 15 November 2006, to demonstrate measurable progress in order to allow fully-fledged negotiations to begin, and to cease mutual recriminations;

3. Reaffirms all its relevant resolutions on Cyprus, in particular resolution 1251 (1999) of 29 June 1999 and subsequent resolutions;

4. Reaffirms that the status quo is unacceptable, that time is not on the side of a settlement, and that negotiations on a final political solution to the Cyprus problem have been at an impasse for too long;

5. Expresses its full support for UNFICYP and decides to extend its mandate for a further period ending 15 December 2007;

6. Calls on both sides to engage, as a matter of urgency and while respecting UNFICYPs mandate, in consultations with UNFICYP on the demarcation of the buffer zone, in particular in relation to the Ledra Street crossing point, with a view to reaching agreement on the United Nations 1989 aide-memoire,

7. Calls on the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkish forces to restore in Strovilia the military status quo which existed there prior to 30 June 2000;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on implementation of this resolution by 1 December 2007;

9. Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNFICYP to implement the Secretary-Generals zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct, requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action including the conduct of predeployment awareness training, and to take disciplinary action and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;

10. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

[02] CYPRUS SPOKESMAN - NO CONCESSIONS

Palmas recalled that the United Nations and specifically the big ``5`` of the Security Council fully back efforts to implement the agreement. The UN Security Council, in a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN peace-keeping force in Cyprus, ``expresses full support for the 8 July process, notes with concern the lack of progress, and calls upon all parties to immediately engage constructively with the UNs efforts, as described in Under-Secretary-General Gambaris letter of 15 November 2006, to demonstrate measurable progress in order to allow fully-fledged negotiations to begin, and to cease mutual recriminations.``

Papadopoulos and Talat had agreed to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and those that concern substantive issues.

[03] HOUSE PRESIDENT - SLOVENIA

The House President had also a meeting with the Delegation of the Committee on EU Affairs of the National Assembly of Slovenia, headed by its Chairman Anton Kokalj.

One of the issues raised during his talks in Ljubljana was direct trade between the EU and the Turkish Cypriot community, a thorny issue being discussed in Brussels. ``I have explained the Cypriot stance on the matter and I met full understanding and I wish and hope that when Slovenia takes over the EU Presidency (1 January 2008) it will take into consideration our position, Christofias said.

[04] FM - TURKEY - EU NEGOTIATIONS

``With all due respect to EU procedures and European Council decisions, we have warned that if there were any attempts to open the energy chapter there were thoughts in the Commission - the Cyprus government would exercise its right to veto any such move,`` the Cypriot Minister said.

Speaking to the press, the Foreign Minister referred to his talks in Paris earlier this week with the new French government, saying that one of the issues discussed was Turkeys bid to join the European Union, in addition to bilateral matters. ``Between the governments of Cyprus and France there is mutual understanding on the basic issues that concern us, both on European and bilateral matters, and there is political will on the part of both governments to continue the dialogue and cooperation that has developed with the previous French government,`` he added.

Lillikas added that he had agreed with French officials to continue contacts and dialogue on a number of issues of mutual interest, including Turkey`s EU accession course and the French President`s proposal to create a Mediterranean Union.

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