The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is a very important part of the effort to restore peace, stability and international legitimacy in Cyprus, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, said in a written message.
President Christodoulidis, invited by the Cyprus News Agency (CYPE) to comment on the importance of resolution 186 (1964) on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, noted that on March 4, 1964, the Security Council of United Nations adopted Resolution 186, thus creating, with the consent and agreement of the Cyprus Government, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, with the aim, among other things, of maintaining international peace and security.
"60 years later, on this important milestone, I pay tribute to the 187 peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty", noted President Christodoulidis, also expressing the gratitude of the Republic of Cyprus to the approximately 150 thousand peacekeepers who served in Cyprus all these over the years, to the member countries of the United Nations that have contributed and continue to contribute with personnel, as well as to the states that have supported and support UNFICYP, through financial contributions, especially Greece that contributes voluntarily.
President Christodoulidis in his message points out the importance of the presence and work of the Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus "which unfortunately the occupying forces, as we have seen recently, are trying to question".
At the same time, he added that "the Resolution in question is very important, not only because it established the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, but because through it it becomes clear that for its development it was necessary, based on international law, the consent of the sovereign and internationally recognized state of the Republic of Cyprus which Turkey intended to challenge with its actions on the island".
He emphasized that, within this context, the fact that the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, as specifically mentioned in the Resolution, has the responsibility for maintaining and restoring law and order is of particular importance.
President Christodoulidis also stated that from 1964 onwards, and especially after the illegal Turkish invasion of 1974, "the Peacekeeping Force is a very important part of the effort to restore peace, stability and international legitimacy on our island", noting that "as stated in its mandate, its aim is to restore law and order and return to normal conditions".
At the same time, he underlined that the role of the Peacekeeping Force is at the same time equally important in dealing with the many humanitarian and other issues that arose as a result of the Turkish invasion.
Source: KYPE