The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, expressedconcern in his report on the Cyprus issue[/B] because the positions of the two communities, he said, appear to be further entrenched and further apart. At the same time, he stressed his concern about developments in the fenced area of Varosha.
The report was officially released yesterday.
While stressing that the continued lack of progress in Cyprus has significant implications for all Cypriots, he called on the parties to refrain from any unhelpful actions and to actively seek solutions through dialogue.
It notes that without decisive action, the ongoing dynamics in and around Cyprus and the electoral timetables will make future efforts to find a mutually agreed solution to the Cyprus problem unfeasible.
It also calls on the two leaders to move beyond the current challenges and provide practical and political support and guidance to all technical committees, noting that dialogue and re-engagement mechanisms are of particular importance and can rekindle hope that progress between the parties can indeed be achieved.
At the same time, in his report, the Secretary-General notes that demonstrating flexibility and firm political will is of paramount importance and calls on the parties to engage constructively in finding and building common ground with a view to resuming meaningful peace talks.
The SG recalls that in its last resolution, the GA invited the leaders of the two communities to present in writing the actions they had taken in support of the relevant provisions of the resolution since its adoption.
Referring to the report, he said it focused on developments from 19 June-15 December 2021.
In his comments, the SG said the passage of time continues to cause problems in efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution in Cyprus.
He notes "with concern that during this period, the communities' positions seem to have become further entrenched and more distant."
He states that he had met with the leaders during the period, as well as the guarantor powers, and has kept lines of communication open so that he can speak openly and directly with all stakeholders.
He notes that his good offices mission helps to maintain dialogue at various levels and promote re-engagement between communities. Significant work, he said, has been done with the sides to provide support to the technical committees as they considered additional confidence-building measures and addressed serious problems on the island, including, as a priority, the negative impact of pandemic COVID-19.
The regularity of meetings hosted by the UN Representative in Cyprus between the two negotiators and related discussions under the good offices mission is positive, Guterres notes, particularly in light of the continued Given the continued absence of negotiations, the presence of the leaders at the December 14 reception in Nicosia, he said, sent a positive message to the wider public. I encourage the two leaders and their representatives to continue to work with each other and the United Nations in this context."
On the work of the technical committees, with a few exceptions, such as the notable achievements of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, the November announcement by the Technical Committee on Telecommunications and the beneficial role played by the Technical Committee on Health in the context of the pandemic, "I continue to believe that these committees remain significantly underutilized."
He welcomed the re-launch of the Imagine peace education programme, but highlighted the lack of progress on other projects under the auspices of the Technical Committee on Education, as well as other technical committees that can make a significant contribution to re-engaging and consolidating peace, particularly among young people.
The SG states that it is regrettable that no progress has been made on the Security Council's request to conduct a joint study of school materials, including textbooks, as a contribution to building trust between communities.
The SG welcomes "the regular exchange of epidemiological information and coordination within the Technical Committee on Health on COVID-19-related measures. Despite the harmonisation of measures and adaptation of restrictions at transit points, significant challenges remain, including the share of vaccines authorised by the European Union. At the same time, it stresses that while discussions are ongoing to provide Turkish Cypriots with full and equal access to the EU COVID Digital Certificate, "progress is slow and more efforts are needed as a matter of priority".
The continued absence of meaningful negotiations and the parties' positions on the basis of a solution in Cyprus have begun to affect the work of the technical committees, the SG says, adding that despite Security Council calls on the two leaders to provide the necessary political support and general guidance to remove obstacles from the technical committees and allow them to function effectively, decisions on activities and projects proposed by the committees have, in some cases, been blocked.
The SG calls on the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders and their representatives to work together on confidence-building measures and to continue to revitalise the work of the technical committees so that they can fulfil their potential to have a positive impact on the daily lives of Cypriots.
Calls on leaders to overcome the current challenges, including those related to terminology, and to offer practical and political support and guidance to all committees in order to enable the full revitalisation of their work. Dialogue and outreach mechanisms are of particular importance and can, in the absence of dialogue, rekindle hope in the population that progress between the parties can indeed be made.
At the same time, the SG notes that "there is a risk that the deepening disparities between the two economies could begin to erode the basis of the significant convergences achieved in the past, hence the need for more concerted efforts to address the economic impact of the pandemic and other factors, while at the same time promoting The UN position on Varosha remains unchanged, he said, citing the statements of the President of the UNSC and resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992), "and I stress the importance of adhering to those resolutions".
He also conveyed his concern about the growing tension in and around Cyprus and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, noting that the natural resources in and around Cyprus should benefit both communities and provide a strong incentive for the parties to find a mutually acceptable and viable solution to the Cyprus problem. I call on the parties to show restraint and make a serious effort to de-escalate tensions."
Furthermore, it further encourages the "parties to follow international best practices regarding the participation of women in decision-making centres for conflict resolution and peace processes, as highlighted in successive Security Council resolutions.
He also commends the Technical Committee on Gender Equality for its work and calls on leaders to agree on a joint plan of action as a matter of priority.
At the same time, he reiterates the Security Council's support for greater civilian participation and confidence-building and urges leaders to encourage more extensive contact and cooperation between the two communities.
Antonio Guterres calls on leaders to look to the future with pragmatism. As the leaders' written submissions to the report show, the sides' positions remain far apart, the SG stressed, adding that the continued lack of political progress has important implications for all Cypriots.
I call on all parties, he said, to refrain from unhelpful actions and to actively seek a solution through dialogue. "Without decisive action, the continued dynamics in and around Cyprus and electoral timetables could render future efforts to reach a mutually acceptable settlement of the Cyprus problem unfeasible. The demonstration of flexibility and firm political will by the parties is of paramount importance. I call on the parties to engage constructively in finding and building common ground with a view to resuming meaningful peace talks. A United Nations envoy to lead this engagement could provide critical support in this regard."
Finally, he stresses the importance of all Cypriots actively participating in shaping the future of the island and calls on the guarantor powers to support efforts towards a final settlement of the Cyprus problem and the achievement of peace and prosperity for all Cypriots.
Source: CNA
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