UNFICYP’s most important priority continues to be to maintain the military status quo and the safety of civilians in the buffer zone, the UN peace keeping force’s spokesperson Aleem Siddique has told CNA.
Siddique, who was replying to a question regarding an incident in the buffer zone earlier on Saturday, said that “an individual was refused entry into the buffer zone as he did not have UN permission to farm a number of plots.”
“Any activities that undermine the military status quo within the buffer zone cannot be permitted,” he added.
According to UNFICYP’s spokesperson “maintaining the military status quo and the safety of civilians in the buffer zone remains our most important priority.”
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Â 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.
The United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNICYP) comprising military and civilian personnel from various contributing countries, arrived in Cyprus in March 1964 after intercommunal fighting broke out. The mandate of the force is renewed every six months by the Security Council.
(Cyprus News Agency)
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https://in-cyprus.com/news/local/tension-between-cypriot-farmers-and-turkish-soldiers/
