The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, briefed the UN Security Council members on Monday on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and developments in the Cyprus issue.
 
The briefing covered the whole spectrum of issues in the reports, including cooperation between the two sides to address the COVID-19 pandemic, exploration for hydrocarbons and tension in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus, developments in the buffer zone, and what needs to be done to promote cooperation in military matters.
 
A diplomatic source said the common denominator of the briefing and interventions was the concern over violence against peacekeepers, as well as restrictions in UNFICYP movements. Another issue brought up was the crossing points – everyone wants them to reopen and cooperation was limited during the pandemic.
 
Regarding cooperation mechanism, the members of the Security Council pointed out it was good for it to proceed and see progress. Spehar, according to the source, said there was a will on both sides and reminded the proposal she had put forward on May 1.
 
Referring to the Cyprus issue and prospects to resume negotiations for a settlement, Spehar is reported to have said that there was a will to hold an informal 5+ meeting but that this could not take place before the so-called elections in the Turkish occupied areas for a new leader, scheduled for October. Members of the Security Council expressed disappointment and reiterated their call for goodwill and progress.
 
Turkish threats to colonise Varosha were also raised by several representatives, calling for the status of the fenced-off town to be respected. Many referred to the violations in Strovilia. Both issues are expected to be addressed in a resolution to be put to the Security Council on July 29.
 
The report is currently at the level of the five permanent members and a revised document is expected within the day, which may be circulated to the other members. The document follows the philosophy of the last UN resolution on UNFICYP, with emphasis on the crossing points and cooperation between the two sides.
 
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
 
UN Secretary – General, Antonio Guterres, appointed in the summer of 2018 senior American UN official Jane Holl Lute in order to conduct consultations with all parties of the Conference on Cyprus. Lute visited Cyprus several times and met Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, with a view to clinch an agreement on the Terms of Reference that would lead to the resumption of the negotiations for a Cyprus settlement. To that end she also held contacts with the three guarantor powers, namely the UK, Greece and Turkey.
 
After a tripartite meeting, in Berlin, on November 25 2019, among Guterres, Anastasiades and Akinci, the UN Secretary – General issued a statement saying that he agreed to extend his efforts to achieve terms of reference to serve as a consensus starting point for phased, meaningful, and results-oriented negotiations at the earliest feasible opportunity.
 
Efforts to convene an informal five-party meeting, in a bid to conclude the terms of reference and resume negotiations for a Cyprus settlement, were expected to start after April 2020 and the “elections” in the Turkish Cypriot community. However, the “elections” have been suspended for October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.