Cyprus Force mandate extended through 15 December 1988.

The Security Council on 15 June extended the mandate of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months until 15 December 1988. In adopting resolution 614 (1988) unanimously, the body also asked that Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar continue his mission of good offices and that all parties concerned continue to co-operate with the Force "on the basis of the present mandate".

The Secretary-General told the Council that it was more important than ever that UNFICYP continue to fulfil it "indispensable" role. The Force was created in 1964 to help prevent a recurrence of fighting and restore normal conditions to the island. With a total strength of 2,092 troops, it supervises cease-fire lines and performs humanitarian tasks. UNFICYP is under the command of Major-General Gunther G. Greindl of Austria.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar said that conditions were becoming ripe to break free from the impasse that for the last two years had blocked his mission. His Special Representative Oscar Camilion had recently presented to the two sides specific suggestions envisaging an early meeting between the two leaders at which they would agree to enter, without pre-conditions, into urgent discussions with the aim of achieving, by an agreed target date, an over-all settlement on the basis of the 1977 and 1979 high-level agreements. Both leaders having reassured him of their desire to resume the negotiating process and to co-operate with him, the Secretary-General hoped that they will seize this opportunity and accept his proposal.

Mr. Pdrez de Cuellar did riot underestimate the difficulties that lay ahead. Every effort must be made to overcome existing distrust and to build confidence between the two sides, They must be encouraged to show respect for each other's concern and to discuss with good will how those concertis could be met.

Contact should be re-established . . .

The Secretary-General stressed that there must be no further attempts to change the status quo

and the language of" public statements should be moderated. Contacts, at every level, should be rc-established between the two communities which had been growing apart at a distressing rate. Great benefits would be derived if' Turkey would make a start by reducing its troops in the...