The Embassies of France, the U.S. and the British High Commission issued a joint statement on Friday expressing their concern over the unauthorised construction of a road and the assault against UN peacekeepers inside the buffer zone near Pyla.
The statement by the diplomatic missions:
“The British High Commission, the French Embassy, and the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus express serious concern at the launch of unauthorised construction of a road leading from the north into the UN-delineated buffer zone to the bi-communal village of Pyla/Pile, and at emerging reports of assaults by Turkish Cypriot forces on United Nations Peacekeepers.
We condemn the assaults against UN Peacekeepers and damage to UN vehicles by personnel of the Turkish Cypriot side this morning. Threats to the safety of UN Peacekeepers and damage to UN property constitute a serious crime under international law.
These actions are completely unacceptable and undermine the ability of the UN to fulfill its peacekeeping mandate. It is particularly regrettable that these actions continue despite the UN having presented a proposal addressing Turkish Cypriot concerns in the area.
We urge Turkish Cypriot authorities to halt construction immediately. As stated in UNSC Resolution 2674 (30 January 2023), the sides should respect UNFICYP’s mandated authority in and delineation of the buffer zone, refrain from unilateral actions in contravention thereof, and remove all unauthorised constructions.
We call upon Turkish Cypriot authorities to refrain from any further escalatory actions that risk undermining the prospects for a return to settlement talks, and to immediately cease any form of violence against the UN Peacekeepers deployed to the area.
Unilateral or escalatory actions, including actions that could alter the status quo along the ceasefire lines or encroachment into the buffer zone must cease to allow steps to be taken to rebuild trust and work toward the resumption of negotiations.
We reiterate our full support for UNFICYP and for Special Representative of the Secretary General Colin Stewart in their engagement with parties to avoid tensions that could undermine a peaceful settlement.
We emphasize the urgent need for the Secretary-General to appoint a UN envoy and call on both sides to remain flexible and open toward taking steps to resume negotiations.”
#Pyla: Joint Statement by the 🇫🇷🇬🇧🇺🇸Embassies in #Cyprus
Serious concern at the launch of the unauthorised construction of a road leading into the UN 🇺🇳 buffer zone & assaults by Turkish Cypriot forces on peacekeepers 👇 pic.twitter.com/DWlUQyGToS
— France à Chypre (@FranceaChypre) August 18, 2023
The incidents:
Earlier on Friday, the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) reported that members of its personnel were assaulted by the “Turkish Cypriot side” while trying to block the unauthorised construction of a road inside the buffer zone, near Pyla.
Damages to vehicles were also reported.
The planned road aims to connect Arsos in the breakaway north with the mixed Greek Cypriot-Turkish Cypriot village of Pyla.
The road would give direct access to Pyla by circumventing a checkpoint on the fringes of the Dhekelia British military base.
However, it would violate UNFICYP’s mandate of maintaining the status quo inside the buffer zone, the force said in a written statement.
Nicosia perceives the road construction as a move with a military purpose at a sensitive spot along the buffer zone spanning 180 kilometres.
Work on the construction of the road began on Thursday, August 17.
Read more:
European Council President condemns attack against peacekeepers in Cyprus
