Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman says calm prevails in the Pyla area and that communication and dialogue are continuing, as UNFICYP clarifies that no tanks, flags or military assets entered the buffer zone and that there were no clashes with peacekeepers.
In a Facebook post, Erhürman said that calm prevails in the area, consistent with the UN peacekeeping force’s own statement.
The Turkish Cypriot side has never been in favour of tension and will not be, he said, adding that it will not be party to what he described as efforts to escalate tension visible in statements from the south and in media reports he characterised as not reflecting reality. Problems, he said, will be resolved calmly, with determination, through dialogue and diplomacy.
UNFICYP spokesman Aleem Siddique told Philenews that vehicles described in some reports as tanks were in fact SUVs positioned outside the buffer zone on the northern ceasefire line. Flags attributed to the Turkish side and the “TRNC” were also outside the buffer zone at all times and were never raised inside it. The situation is calm, he said, with UN peacekeepers continuing to patrol the area. UNFICYP is engaging with all parties to de-escalate tensions.
The clarifications significantly reframe what had been reported as a major escalation. The incident originated in a dispute over access for Republic of Cyprus Veterinary Services officers seeking to carry out foot-and-mouth disease checks at Turkish Cypriot-owned livestock farms in the buffer zone. Occupation forces entered the buffer zone, initially described as a “police presence,” to block those checks, sparking a dispute with UNFICYP. It is that unauthorised entry by Turkish Cypriot security personnel that UNFICYP has consistently identified as the core violation, prompting the mission to reinforce its presence and step up patrols.
UNFICYP head Khassim Diagne has urged calm and restraint and called on all parties to respect the UN mission’s mandate. On Monday, UN Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated that “any unauthorised entry, presence or activity within the buffer zone constitutes a violation of the UN mission’s mandate,” adding that UNFICYP is “in active communication with all parties involved” to restore the status quo ante.
The Republic of Cyprus government has described the occupation regime’s actions as serious violations. Presidential Press Office director Viktoras Papadopoulos, speaking to CNA, expressed the government’s “deep concern and disappointment” over the “escalating stance of the occupation forces inside the buffer zone at a critical geopolitical juncture,” saying the actions “increase tension and undermine the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to resume talks.” He confirmed the matter will be raised at the next meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides and Erhürman.
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