ISTANBUL/LEFKOSA (AA) – The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said Tuesday that the UN repeated “its mistake” by extending its peacekeeping force’s mission without the country’s approval.
“The UN Security Council has once again repeated its mistake by extending the peacekeeping force's mission without obtaining our approval. We reject this approach, which ignores the will and existence of the Turkish Cypriot side,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement came after the UN Security Council’s decision to extend the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus for another year.
“The peacekeeping force has failed to fulfill its fundamental tasks during this period, such as treating both sides in Cyprus equally and finding fair solutions to disputes. In addition, it has become a protector of the status quo deemed unsustainable by all relevant parties,” the statement added.
It stressed that the peacekeeping force’s continued activities within the TRNC’s borders were due to the good faith cooperation of TRNC authorities.
“Sovereignty in the north of Cyprus belongs to the Turkish Cypriot people and their state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It is a prerequisite for the peacekeeping force to conduct its activities in our country on a legitimate basis,” the statement said.
It called on UN Security Council members to reconsider their obsolete decisions and adopt a new approach based on the existence of two separate peoples and two separate states within their own borders in Cyprus, emphasizing that the realistic solution for Cyprus lies in developing good neighborly relations on the basis of the equal sovereignty and equal international status of the existing two states.
The statement also highlighted the Security Council's reference to incidents in the buffer zone and the situation in Pile, specifically addressing the issue of the construction of the Yigitler-Pile road.
“The sole responsibility for the incidents lies entirely with the peacekeeping force, which has been attempting to obstruct the construction of the Yigitler-Pile road for purely humanitarian purposes.
The Turkish Cypriot side demands the implementation of the agreement reached with the peacekeeping force regarding the matter and the completion of the road’s construction as “soon as possible. On the other hand, the Greek Cypriot administration, claiming to be the alleged sole owner of the island, is attempting to extend its hegemonic attitude to the buffer zone. The increasing tension and violations in the buffer zone are a result of this distorted understanding,” the statement added.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Ersin Tatar also issued a statement on the matter Tuesday.
“We cannot engage in formal negotiations without the confirmation of our sovereign equality and international status,” he said.
In a statement following a meeting with Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, the Personal Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Cyprus, Tatar said they did not reject the negotiation process but only had conditions for talks.
Tatar informed Cuellar of the realities in Cyprus during the approximately two-hour meeting.
He highlighted that the TRNC and Türkiye are not against reaching an agreement with the Greek Cypriot Administration but seek a cooperation agreement between two sovereign states for the peace and stability of the region and the future of both communities.
Addressing the unfair embargo and restrictions faced by the TRNC, Tatar underscored that the Cyprus issue has been ongoing for 60 years, and for a fair agreement in Cyprus, the existing sovereignty of the Turkish people must be recognized.
Cuellar expressed her commitment to facilitating common ground between the leaders.
She visited the UN peacekeeping force’s headquarters on the Green Line (Buffer Zone) upon her arrival in Cyprus and met with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides before meeting with President Tatar in North Cyprus.
Cuellar is expected to return to the island in March after holding meetings with civil society organizations, opinion leaders and some political representatives in Ankara, Athens and London.