Nicosia, Cyprus. United Nations undersecretary-general for peace operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix will arrive in Cyprus on Sunday for a six-day visit. He is expected to meet officials from both major communities and discuss the situation on the ground and Unficyp’s role.
Meetings planned during six-day visit
During his stay, Lacroix is expected to meet officials from both major communities, and discuss both the current situation on the ground and the role of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) in maintaining stability. He is also expected to hold meetings with members of the diplomatic corps in Cyprus and Unficyp’s leadership.
Recent Pyla developments and UN response
The planned visit comes at the end of a week in which fears of heightened tensions arose in the buffer zone village of Pyla, located between Larnaca and Famagusta, after a line of Turkish tanks was spotted in the area.
Unficyp spokesman Aleem Siddique confirmed to the Cyprus Mail that the tanks were at all times located “north of the northern ceasefire line” and therefore not in the buffer zone, and later confirmed that they had departed. Siddique also said there are “no military assets inside the buffer zone” and that reports a Turkish flag had been planted in the buffer zone did not correspond to reality, adding that the flag is located in the north.
UK base proximity and reported deployments
Given Pyla and nearby Pergamos’ proximity to the United Kingdom’s Dhekelia base, British vehicles also deployed to the area. British bases spokeswoman Korina Orphanides told the Cyprus Mail that vehicles had been deployed only as a precaution and “took no action”, indicating that the tanks were also located outside the base.
Kibris Postasi report on reasons for tank deployment
News website Kibris Postasi quoted military sources as saying the tanks had been deployed because “the Greek Cypriot authorities attempted to facilitate illegal crossings” into the buffer zone near Pyla, possibly involving veterinarians, “citing an outbreak of foot and mouth disease on the Greek Cypriot side”. The sources said measures were taken to bolster the Turkish Cypriot security presence in the area.
What do you think Lacroix’s visit could mean for efforts to maintain stability in Cyprus?