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UN Security Council renews Cyprus peacekeeping mandate

Council unanimously adopts resolution extending mandate until July 31

30.01.2015 - Update : 30.01.2015
UN Security Council renews Cyprus peacekeeping mandate

By Mustafa Caglayan

NEW YORK

 The UN Security Council voted Thursday to continue the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus for another six months.

Urging the resumption of the stalled reunification talks, the 15-member body unanimously adopted resolution 2197 extending the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus until July 31.

The resolution expressed support "for the ongoing efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide" to persuade the parties of the conflict to find a solution to the issue.

In October 2014, the reunification talks were unilaterally suspended by the Greek-Cypriot side after Turkey issued a Navtex (navigational telex) on behalf of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for seismic research off the coast of Cyprus.

Since the collapse of the joint government in 1963, Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have been striving to find a comprehensive settlement to renew their partnership.

The island has been divided into a Turkish-Cypriot administration in the northern third and a Greek Cypriot one in the southern two-thirds after a military coup by Greece in 1974 was followed by the intervention of Turkey as a guarantor power in Cyprus.

One of the longest-running UN peacekeeping missions, the Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was set up in 1964.

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