United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

“ It is not easy to make an estimation of the strength of the Turkish Cypriot fighting elements. The information available to UNFICYP puts their total strength at about 10,000, excluding 1,700 police and Turkish Cypriot elements of the Cyprus Army. It is believed that during last June and early July some 300 personnel, presumably from Turkey, landed on the beaches in the Kokkina/Mansoura area to reinforce the Turkish Cypriot fighting elements there and that an additional 300 might have infiltrated into other parts of the Island. ”

“ Deployed in sensitive areas throughout the country, the Force attempts to interpose itself between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot military positions, or if that is not possible, to set up its own posts nearby so that its mere presence will constitute an effective deterrent to a recurrence of fighting. If, despite its precautionary measure, shooting incidents occur, the Force will immediately intervene and endeavor to end the fighting by persuasion and negotiation. ”

“ Nor can there be any doubt that had the Force not been deployed in Cyprus over these six months, there would have been far more fighting on that island than there has been, with resultant heavy casualties and devastation. As to maintenance and restoration of law and order in Cyprus, there has been a considerable improvement in the security situation since the deployment of the Force and its police arm. To mention only one sphere, incidents involving the beating, shooting and kidnapping of civilians have been greatly reduced. ”

“ Moreover, as a result of the buildup in arms and the reorganization of the Greek Cypriot armed forces into the National Guard, the United Nations Force in Cyprus today is not only outnumbered by the Greek Cypriot forces but it also commands considerably less firepower. ”

“ In that situation, the United Nations operation has had to exert every effort to maintain objectivity, to serve fairness and justice, and to avoid taking sides while doing all possible to alleviate suffering. Thus, in recent weeks, UNFICYP has been devoting major effort toward eliminating or lessening the hardship experienced by many Turkish communities in Cyprus by the economic restrictions which have been imposed by the Government of Cyprus. ”

“ In addition to losses incurred in agriculture and in industry during the first part of the year, the Turkish community had lost other sources of its income including the salaries of over 4,000 persons who were employed by the Cyprus Government and by public and private concerns located in the Greek Cypriot zones. The trade of the Turkish community had considerably declined during the period, due to the existing situation, and unemployment reached a very high level as approximately 25,000 Turkish Cypriots had become refugees. ”

“ The build-up of military personnel and equipment in Cyprus about which I expressed deep concern in my report of 15 June 1964, has continued on both sides since that report. The Cyprus Government has openly announced its intention to strengthen its armed forces. Its position is that so long as the threat of a Turkish invasion continues, it has the responsibility and the duty to build up its defenses to protect the territorial integrity of the republic. ”

“ On 4 April firing broke out in the area known as Tilliria on the northwest coast of Cyprus where a group of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot villages adjoin one another, and a struggle for the control of a vital hill between the villages of Mansoura and Kokkina began and spread along the road Morphou-Xeros-Kokkina-Polis. Continued attempts were made by UNFICYP to bring the fighting to an end, in the course of which United Nations troops found themselves fired upon by both sides and forced to return the fire. ”

“ In sensitive areas where the two sides face each other, both have been actively strengthening their positions since the ceasefire, despite UNFICYP efforts to remove fortifications. The military buildup, while taking place on both sides, has strengthened the Government forces to a far larger degree than the Turkish Cypriots and now these forces have undoubtedly acquired the capability of overrunning the Turkish Cypriot strongholds rapidly when they so desire. ”

“ I cannot conclude this section without paying a warm tribute to all members of the United Nations Force in Cyprus for the exemplary manner in which they have performed their difficult duties. It is not easy for armed soldiers under conditions of great tension and danger to refrain from using their arms. Nor is it easy for them to remain always restrained and to persist in using persuasion rather than force when they are threatened. ”

“ These arrangements provided that any citizen of Cyprus was free to proceed with the harvesting of the crops he owned. The Government forces would assure, if necessary, the personal safety of both Greek and Turkish Cypriot farmers as well as the safety of their crops. It was also stressed that UNFICYP was free to take independent measures to ensure that no Turkish Cypriot, lawfully harvesting his own property, was harmed in any way. ”

“ In the defense of the areas they control, the Turkish Cypriots have set up roadblocks, trenches, fortified posts and sandbagged emplacements either on the ground or behind windows or on the roofs of buildings. Around those positions the Government forces have erected their own fortifications and roadblocks. The opposing military positions, manned by determined and well armed men, and sometimes separated by less than 50 yards, create a situation fraught with constant danger. ”

“ Hardly a day passes without one or several incidents. During the period from 9 June to 8 September 1964, there have been a total of 306 incidents. But, except for three series of incidents which will be dealt with separately later, they were of a minor nature in the sense that they did not lead to a marked increase in tension. The following table shows the number of incidents which have taken place during the period of 9 June to 8 September 1964, in the various zones of Cyprus excluding the Tylliria fighting. ”

“ The Force, of course, has been subjected to much pressure from those, on the one hand, who would wish it to go much further than it has gone, particularly in the employment of armed force, and those on the other, who would feel that at times the Force tries to go too far on the territory of a sovereign State. ”

“ In dealing with this problem, UNFICYP has always resotd to discussions and negotiations and attempted to achieve its objective by persuasion. Only in a few cases when the fortified posts were considered as a direct threat to its own position did UNFICYP proceed to dismantle them. This happened, for example, in Nicosia on 1 June when Government posts were removed from the Ledra Palace Hotel and on 20 August when three Turkish Cypriot positions directly threatening the Nicosia Zone Headquarters were removed. All these actions were taken after negotiations had failed to produce positive results. ”

“ The inability of the Government to use its premises located in Turkish Cypriot sectors is an impediment to the proper functioning of its services, particularly in Nicosia where a number of Government premises, including the Courts of Justice building and the Chief Post Office building, are located in the sector controlled by Turkish Cypriots. The restriction placed by Turkish Cypriots on movement on the important Kyrenia road, astride of which is deployed the Turkish contingent, is also a source of major difficulty. ”

“ It is gratifying to record that throughout the political crisis and intercommunal violence in the island the members of the country's judiciary, both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, have to a large degree succeeded in maintaining, as far as is humanly possible, the objectivity and detachment that their high office demands. ”

“ The fact that Turkish Cypriot police personnel have been wearing on their cap badges the national symbol of Turkey is regarded by the Government as evidence of their loyalty to a foreign country, justifying treatment of them as "insurgents". ”

“ As indicated later in the report, UNFICYP has escorted Turkish Cypriot judges to courthouses located in Greek Cypriot areas. It has also ensured the protection of harvesters when they have had to work in the fields near or outside the boundary of their community. It has become a common practice for Turkish Cypriots who are compelled to travel outside their areas to call first the UNFICYP Civilian Police before setting out on their journey. ”

“ My view, as expressed in my report of 15 June, continues to be that while there is no doubt that a sovereign government normally is entitled to import and/or manufacture arms, the questions as regards Cyprus is whether at the present time and in the present circumstances the importation and manufacture of arms by the Government of Cyprus is consistent with the letter and spirit of the Security Council resolution of 4 March. ”

“ Incidents in Nicosia 59. Tension has remained very high in Nicosia throughout the period under review. New fortifications have been built and old ones reinforced by both sides almost every day. On each occasion UNFICYP has tried to remove these posts by negotiations and persuasion. Until the Security Council resolution of 9 August calling for an immediate ceasefire, shooting along the Green Line had been a common occurrence.
60. On 4 August, the Turkish Cypriots erected a new roadblock and reinforced one of their existing fortifications overlooking the Green Line. ”

“ In the exchange of correspondence that took place on this matter between 10 July and 1 August, UNFICYP was informed that action would be taken by the National Guard against this Turkish Cypriot height in the event that UNFICYP could not negotiate its dismantling and abandonment by Turkish Cypriots. General Thimayya pointed out that the UNFICYP zone commander had accompanied the President and General Karayannis when they visited Pakky Ammos and Kokkina. General Karayannis appeared to be satisfied that the situation around these villages was calm. ”

“ Meanwhile, UNFICYP, on the basis of the assurance given by the Government regarding the lifting of restrictions concerning the Turkish Cypriot areas other than Nicosia, Lefka and Kokkina, took steps to facilitate the transport of essential goods to those areas. Unfortunately, obstructions were still encountered at the local level. On 27 August a Red Crescent convoy carrying thirty-nine tons of assorted foodstuffs from Famagusta to the non-restricted area of Ktima was held up by Cypriot military authorities. ”

“ In carrying out its function the Force shall avoid any action designed to influence the political situation in Cyprus, except through contributing an improved climate in which political solutions may be sought. ”

“ Freedom of movement is an essential condition for the proper functioning of the Force. The agreement between the United Nations and the Republic of Cyprus concerning the status of UNFICYP (S/5634) provides that the Force and its members together with its service vehicles, vessels, aircraft and equipment, shall enjoy freedom of movement throughout Cyprus. ”