Cyprus Force mandate extended through 15 June.

Cyprus Force mandate extended through 15 June

The Security Council on 14 December 1987 extended the mandate of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months until 15 June 1988. The Council, in adopting resolution 604 (1987) unanimously, also asked Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar to continue his mission of good offices and called upon all parties concerned to continue to cooperate with the Force "on the basis of the present mandate". The Force was created in 1964 to help prevent a recurrence of fighting and restore normal conditions to the island. It also supervises cease-fire lines and performs humanitarian tasks. With a total strength of some 2,080 troops, UNFICYP is under the command of Major-General Gunther G. Greindl of Austria

The Secretary-General reported to the Council (S/19304 and Add.1) that UNFICYP had continued to fulfil its functions in an exemplary manner, often under difficult conditions. Since, however, the situation in Cyprus remained precarious, he recommended that the Force's mandate be extended.

He said he was seriously concerned that the negotiating process had been deadlocked for 18 months. An improved climate needed to be created to restore some confidence between the two sides. Both parties should co-operate with Oscar Camilion, his new Special Representative, to find ways to advance towards a solution.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar stated that tension between the two sides had continued largely because of the military buildup on the island and the "persisting problem" in Varosha, where students attending a university established by Turkish Cypriot authorities in Famagusta and who were reportedly dependents of personnel of Turkish forces in Cyprus had been housed in two hotels inside Varosha's fenced area.

He recalled that he had told the Turkish authorities that the strengthening of their forces in Cyprus was likely to result in similar action by the Greek Cypriot side, and had again appealed to them to make a start by reducing their forces on the island. Any military buildup in Cyprus was cause for concern, he added, and the current buildup on the island, when combined with each side's perception of the other's intentions, had created a serious situation that needed to be redressed. He continued to think that the scheme for the verification of military forces that he had previously proposed would be useful in reducing tensions.

The Secretary-General said...