The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed strong disagreement with UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) chief Colin Stewart’s latest report to the Security Council, criticising its approach to activities in the buffer zone.
The ministry said the report fails to distinguish between Turkish military violations and legitimate civilian activities within the buffer zone, arguing that Stewart’s attempt to maintain neutrality leads to false equivalencies.
In its response, the ministry highlighted three key points of contention: the report’s handling of Turkish military violations aimed at undermining Cyprus’s territorial integrity, its equating of dissimilar incidents in the buffer zone, and UNFICYP’s humanitarian mandate regarding both enclave residents and missing persons.
The government specifically emphasised that the buffer zone remains sovereign territory of the Republic of Cyprus, challenging what it sees as Stewart’s implicit suggestion that UNFICYP holds sovereignty over the area.
The ministry did welcome UN Secretary-General’s reaffirmation of commitment to peace talks and shared his concerns over Turkey’s actions in the fenced-off area of Varosha, noting the UN’s unchanged position as outlined in Security Council resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992).
Stewart is scheduled to brief the Security Council in a closed session on Thursday morning, where he is expected to address some of Nicosia’s concerns.
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