The Secretary-General's report on the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus has been released as an official UN document.
The Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution renewing UNFICYP's six-month term on 26 January 2017.
The report covers the period June 25 to December 15, 2016.
The Secretary-General speaks of "unprecedented progress made in the last 19 months in the leaders-led negotiation process". "During the reporting period," it is reported, "negotiations between the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci continued at an intensive pace and in a results-oriented manner." "Leaders maintained a regular and often intense meeting schedule, while their negotiators and experts continued to meet regularly."
He says that through their intensive work in this process led by the leaders, Messrs. Anastasiadis and Akinci "succeeded in taking the talks further than ever since 2008, making significant progress in four of the six negotiating chapters." - governance and distribution of power, property, economy and EU - related issues. Also, for the first time, they held negotiations on the issue of land in Mont Peléran, Switzerland, which I opened (personally) on November 7, 2016 ".
It also notes the leaders' announcement, issued by the United Nations on 1 December, of the Geneva meetings on 9-11 January and the convening of the Cyprus conference on 12 January "with the additional participation of the guarantor forces - Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom and the announcement that "other interested parties will be invited as required".
In the remarks chapter, he refers to the unprecedented progress that has been made in the process of leader-led negotiations over the last nineteen months.
"I congratulate Mr. Akindzi and Mr. Anastasiadis for their efforts. Through their vision, courage and leadership, the talks have progressed in a clear way. At the same time, a number of sensitive and important issues remain. "
Noting that the process has now reached a critical crossroads, it "encourages leaders to build on the momentum as they embark on the most critical and perhaps the most demanding part of their common path".
At the same time, he encourages all Cypriots "to support the leaders, as they move forward in the crucial weeks, to achieve the common goal of reaching a comprehensive settlement as soon as possible".
Special mention is made of the role of the guarantors.
"As the talks enter a vital phase, it is more important than ever, as the guarantors - Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom - and other relevant actors, remain committed to supporting the leaders' ongoing and decisive efforts."
Regarding the issues of transitional planning for the case of the settlement, the report writes that UNFICYP continued to work, based on the request of the SA, "for the establishment of a joint working group with the mission of good services and the support of those in charge. services at UN headquarters ".
He states that on July 22, UNFICYP informed the leaders about the initial planning of the transition. At the beginning of November, the negotiators returned to these issues, in the presence of the Special Adviser and the Special Representative, and agreed in principle that "the United Nations will focus on certain key areas of support in the post-settlement period. "Further discussion with the negotiators took place on December 15."
The Secretary-General notes that the transition planning undertaken last year has demonstrated the extent to which the United Nations capabilities on the island need to change in order to effectively support the implementation of the agreement and assist the parties with the challenges. of the post-settlement period.
"The identification of these new possibilities will depend on further progress in the talks on key outstanding issues and will require detailed engagement with the parties on their expectations for the future role of the UN. It should be noted, however, that with the existing resources and in its current form, UNFICYP has limited capacity to offer adequate support to a settlement. In addition, this planning is just one aspect of a much broader need to prepare for the implementation of the settlement, which is the responsibility of the parties. "
Regarding the issues of the Commission of Inquiry for the Missing, he states that in the light of the advanced age of both relatives and witnesses, the Secretary General considers it "crucial to give the CMP the means and information needed to speed up its work".
At the same time, he says he is encouraged by the fact that CMP resources have been strengthened during this period.
"This additional opportunity is particularly important in light of the advanced age of many witnesses and relatives. "The CMP 's efforts to heal the wounds of the past are not only crucial for those families directly affected by the tragedy of the missing, but also support the wider process of community reconciliation."
The Secretary-General considers that it remains important for the next period to make progress on confidence-building measures.
"Especially the opening of the two crossing points will lead to significant improvements in the lives of the affected communities. While progress in the direction of Cypriot security through the clearing of five minefields in the north is welcome, much remains to be done. The lack of action to clear the minefield adjacent to the ceasefire line near Mammari, for example, continues to pose unnecessary risks. "Minefields on the island are of little military value, but they pose a serious threat to life," the report said, calling on both sides to take advantage of UNFICYP's minefield clearance capabilities through UNMAS to clear the entire minefield in the coming months. island.
"Such a clearing will significantly reduce the risk to civilians and allow increased freedom of movement in and around the dead zone."
The report notes that no serious incidents of violence were reported between Greek and Turkish Cypriots during the demonstrations in November 2016, however it refers to a continuing lack of information on court proceedings related to the events of November 2015 and emphasizes that "a A clear resolution of these cases will serve to build trust between the communities and will mean that these acts will not be tolerated in Cyprus. "
The growing efforts of citizen groups to build support for settlement and reunification talks are also welcomed.
"As leaders move forward in their negotiations, I encourage them to fully engage civil society throughout Cyprus, in order to promote broad support for the solution base."
The Secretary-General also calls for the lifting of all restrictions on the exercise of religious freedom.
"As a fundamental human right, there can be no doubt that freedom of worship throughout the island is important in itself. At the same time, it can also provide a framework for enhancing interaction between communities. I urge all restrictions on freedom of worship, including restrictions on access to religious sites, to be lifted. "
The report reiterates the well-known reports on addressing T / C isolation concerns.
"I continue to call on both communities to work to create a favorable climate for greater economic and social equality between the two sides and to expand and deepen economic, social, cultural, sporting or similar relations and contacts, including in order to encourage trade. These contacts promote trust between the communities and help address Turkish Cypriot concerns about isolation. I urge both leaders to work together to address these issues. "
Finally, after reiterating the request for acceptance by the parties of the UNFICYP memorandum for the ceasefire line, it also raises the issue of violations of the status quo by the CCTV cameras installed by the Turkish forces, gaining a military advantage.
"Therefore, he writes, I encourage steps towards a permanent reduction of the military presence along the ceasefire line, starting from those positions that have been reinforced with CCTV cameras, especially in the militarized area within its Venetian walls. old town of Nicosia ".
Source: KYPE