United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions. cite web|url=http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/211/44/IMG/NR021144.pdf?OpenElement |title=UN Security Council Resolution 186: The Cyprus Question |accessdate=2007-01-29 |date=4 Mar 1964 |format=PDF |publisher=United Nations ] After the 1974 Greek coup-d'etat and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the UN Security Council extended and expanded the mission to prevent that Cyprus dispute turning into war.

Background

In 1995, UNFICYP found that Turkish Cypriots living in the southern part of the island were not subject to a restrictive regime and under the law enjoyed the same rights as other citizens. At the same time, in several respects, it was found that Turkish Cypriots were often the victims of capricious discrimination and harassment and thus did not enjoy a fully normal life. With regard to Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the northern part of the island, the review confirmed that those communities were the objects of very severe restrictions imposed by the Turkish Cypriot authorities, which curtailed the exercise of many basic freedoms and had the effect of ensuring that, inexorably with the passage of time, those communities would cease to exist in the northern part of the island.

On 5 December 2006, the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan recommended a further six-month extension in the mandate of the UN mission that has been deployed on the island for over four decades. Mr. Annan said that while the situation remained “calm and stable with no major violations of the ceasefire lines,” he regretted the continued stalemate in the political process and the “missed opportunities” over the past 10 years.

The annual cost for maintaining UNFICYP is estimated at $51,900,000. This includes the voluntary contribution by the Government of Cyprus of one third of the cost of the force and the annual amount of $6,500,000 contributed by the Government of Greece. Turkey does not directly contribute to the force’s budget [ [http://www.unficyp.org/Facts+figures/facts+fig.htm www.unficyp.org - Facts & Figures] ] .

Deployments

As of July 31 2008, the total strength (military personnel and civilian police) of UNFICYP was 930. The 861 military personnel are from Argentina (the Argentine contingent includes soldiers from the Argentine Army, Argentine Marine Corps, Brazil, Paraguay and Peru), Austria, Canada, Hungary, Slovakia (includes soldiers from Croatia and the United Kingdom [cite web|url=http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/facts.html|title=Cyprus - UNFICYP - Facts and Figures|date=31st July 2008|publisher=UN|accessdate=2008-10-05] There are 69 civilian police provided by Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, El Salvador, India, Italy, Ireland and Netherlands. In addition UNFICYP had 143 civilian staff, 35 of whom were internationally recruited and 108 locally recruited.

ector One

Starts at Kokkina Village and covers approximately 90 kilometres to Mammari, west of Nicosia . Since October 16 1993, it has been the responsibility of the Argenine Contingent with 212 soldiers. [cite web|url=http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1365&tt=graphic&lang=l1|title=Sector One|date=30 April 2008|publisher=UN|accessdate=2008-10-05]

ector Two

Starts at Mammari, west of Nicosia and covers 30 kilometres to Kaimakli, east of Nicosia. Since 1993, and has been the responsibility of the British contingent with 183 Soldiers. [cite web|url=http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1366&tt=graphic&lang=l1|title=Sector Two|date=30 April 2008|publisher=UN|accessdate=2008-10-05]

ector Four

Starting at Kaimakli, east of Nicosia and covers 65 Kilometres to the village of Dhernia, on the east coast of Cyprus and has been the responsibility of the Slovakian and Hungarian contingent with 202 Soldiers [cite web|url=http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1367&tt=graphic&lang=l1|title=Sector Four|date=30th April 2008|publisher=UN|accessdate=2008-10-05]

Other Units

Force Military Police Unit (FMPU) is 1 of only 2 multi-national sub units within UNFICYP, the other being the Mobile Force Reserve, MFR. The FMPU is commanded by a major of the UK Royal Military Police, with 7 other members of the RMP as part of the 23 strong unit. Other contributing nationalities are Argentina, Hungary and Slovakia. [cite web|url=http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1368&tt=graphic&lang=l1|title=Other Key Units|date=30th April 2008|publisher=UN|accessdate=2008-10-05]

Mobile Force Reserve (MFR) is the high readiness elite reserve able to react to any incident anywhere on the island. Formed from the Permanent Force Reserve in 1997, its comprised of soldiers from each of the contributing contingents. Equipped with TACTICA APCs which are armed with the GPMG. The MFR is rigidly trained in public order and major incident reaction techniques. In addition the MFR is also trained for air mobile operations using Bell 212 helicopters to rapidly insert into trouble areas.

The UN Flight have three helicopters, and since 1994 has been provided by 28 soldiers from the Argentine Air Force. [ [http://www.fuerzaaerea.mil.ar/misiones/chipre.html FAA site:United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)] ] . They use the Hughes 500 and Bell 212 Helicopters and in 2003 logged 10,000 flight hours without any accident. [ [http://www.helis.com/database/go/ar_7th_air_brigade.php Helis.com Database] ] . During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora was brought in and out Lebanon by one of their helicopters [ [http://www.unficyp.org/news/Press/2006_27July_%20Photo%20R_Lenanese%20PM_UNFLIGHT.htm www.unficyp.org - Photo Release] ]

Commanders of UN Forces (UNFICYP)

Fatalities

As of August 31 2008, UNFICYP has suffered 178 fatalities: [cite web|url=http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/fatalities/StatsByMissionIncidentType%204.pdf|title=UN Peacekeeping Fatalities by Mission and Incident Type|date=31st August 2008|publisher=UN|accessdate=2008-10-05]

* Accidents: 96

* Illnesses: 43
* Malicious Acts: 15
* Other: 24

References

ee also

*Cyprus dispute
*Republic of Cyprus
*Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
*United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus
*Green Line (Cyprus)
*United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Cyprus

External links

* [http://www.unficyp.org/ Official website]
* [http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unficyp/index.html Entry within UN website]