The Russian Federation is convinced that the difficulties, standing in the way of long-expected reunification of Cyprus, can be overcome if there is necessary determination and political will, said Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Stanislav Osadchiy on the extension of UNFICYP‘s mandate.
Russia, he said in a Facebook post, “is ready to continue to actively support the international efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue”.
In his post, Osadchiy said the Russian Federation supported the UN Security Council Resolution 2506 on the extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
“Osadchiy said the Russian Federation supported the UN Security Council Resolution 2506 on the extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).”
It reaffirms the significance which Russia attaches to the responsible and important task carried out by the UN mission on the island.
We are convinced, he added, “that the UNFICYP plays a crucial role ensuring stability in the buffer zone, which is required for the dialogue between the Cypriot communities. Under the circumstances of the unresolved Cyprus problem we stand for maintaining the basic parameters of the UNFICYP’s mandate, including its human resources capacity, unchanged. We believe that the UNFICYP should further play its stabilizing role”.
“We believe that the UNFICYP should further play its stabilizing role.”
He reiterated Russia’s principled stance on the Cyprus issue, which is the “restoration of Cyprus as an independent, sovereign, territorially integral and united state meets both the interests of Cypriots themselves and the goal of maintaining peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
The way to achieve it, he added, lies through reaching a comprehensive, just, stable and viable solution to the Cyprus problem. We believe that it should be found by the two communities themselves without outside interference, he remarked.
“We note with satisfaction the principal convergence of the parties’ positions on the main parameters of the future solution of the Cyprus problem.”
Russia, said Osadchiy, has welcomed the reflected in the resolution will of the parties to resume the dialogue after a long pause, which was demonstrated during the trilateral meeting in Berlin on November 25, 2019, with the participation of the UN Secretary-General and leaders of the two Cypriot communities.
“We note with satisfaction the principal convergence of the parties’ positions on the main parameters of the future solution of the Cyprus problem, i.e. the establishment of the bizonal and bicommunal federation in Cyprus”, he said.
“Russia is ready to continue to actively support the international efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue.”
Furthermore, the Russian diplomat said “we are convinced that the difficulties, standing in the way of long-expected reunification of Cyprus, can be overcome if there is the necessary determination and political will. Russia is ready to continue to actively support the international efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue”.
Cyprus remains divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks for a Cyprus settlement have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
