UNFICYP will try to maintain a more visible presence in the buffer zone near Deneia, to help curb violations by the occupied north, the mission’s head, Khassim Diagne, assured the village’s community leader and farmers during a meeting on Wednesday, according to community leader Charalambos Alexandrou.
Alexandrou said the meeting, held with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, focused on security in the buffer zone. “The meeting was our own initiative,” he said, adding that Diagne had asked to come to the Deneia Community Council to hear farmers’ concerns and their own.
According to Alexandrou, Diagne and the roughly 15 UNFICYP officials who accompanied him told the meeting they “cannot do anything more” and “cannot use force.”
Alexandrou said he and Deneia’s farmers asked Diagne to make UNFICYP’s presence in the area more visible, to reduce violations by the Turkish side as far as possible. He said this could be achieved if UNFICYP increased its patrols and intervened in incidents in the buffer zone rather than remaining an observer, so it could also assert authority over the occupied north.
Asked about the meeting, Alexandrou said Diagne had shown understanding of the issues raised. Diagne stressed, Alexandrou said, that “a solution must be found” and that “at some point we’ll have more serious problems.”
Asked whether Turkish violations in the area had increased recently, Alexandrou said they remained at the same level and were “continuous at specific points.” He added that the UNFICYP head was already aware of these locations.
Alexandrou said Diagne told him he needed time to make that more visible presence happen, adding that UNFICYP is currently facing a staffing shortage.
