VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: UNITED NATIONS FORCE IN

UNCLAS STATE 166912

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO CY
SUBJECT: VOTING INSTRUCTIONS: UNITED NATIONS FORCE IN
CYPRUS (UNFICYP) MANDATE RENEWAL


1. (U) ACTION REQUEST: USUN is instructed to vote in
favor of and to co-sponsor the United Nations Force in
Cyprus (UNFICYP) mandate renewal resolution during UNSC
voting on 14 December, 2007. The text of the resolution
is listed in paragraph 2. USUN is authorized to draw from
the talking points in paragraph 3 as required for an
explanation of vote and any press statement on UNFICYP
following voting in the UN Security Council.


2. (U) The complete text of the UNSCR is below:
Begin Text:

The Security Council,

PP 1 Welcoming the analysis on developments
on the ground over the last six months in the report of
the Secretary-General of 3 December 2007 (S/2007/699) on
the United Nations operation in Cyprus, in accordance with
his mandate,

PP 2 Noting that the Government of Cyprus
is agreed that in view of the prevailing conditions on the
island it is necessary to keep UNFICYP beyond 15 December
2007,

PP 3 Echoing the Secretary-General's firm
belief that the responsibility of finding a solution lies
first and foremost with the Cypriots themselves, that the
upcoming year offers an important window of opportunity to
make decisive progress, which must be grasped by all
parties, in the search for a comprehensive solution, and
noting the primary role of the United Nations in assisting
the parties to bring the Cyprus conflict and division of
the island to a comprehensive and durable settlement,

PP 4 Taking note of the assessment of the
Secretary-General that the security situation on the

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island and along the Green Line remains generally stable,
welcoming the decrease in the overall number of incidents
involving the two sides, and urging both sides to avoid
any action which could lead to an increase in tension,

PP 5 Underlining that activity in the buffer zone,
in particular proposals for large-scale commercial
projects, which are not compatible with returning to
normal conditions as expressed in the UNFICYP mandate and
should not be at the expense of stability and security;
reiterating the Secretary-General's firm belief that the
situation in the buffer zone would be improved if both
sides accepted the 1989 aide-memoire used by the United
Nations,

PP 6 Welcoming the principles and decisions
enshrined in the 8 July 2006 Agreement, stressing that a
comprehensive settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal
federation and political equality, as set out in the
relevant Security Council resolutions, is both desirable
and possible and should not be further delayed,

PP 7 Deploring the continued failure to
date to implement the 8 July 2006 Agreement, and urging
the leaders of both communities to act to start the
process without delay in order to prepare the ground for
fully-fledged negotiations leading to a comprehensive and
durable settlement,

PP 8 Welcoming the agreement to allow
European Union funds to support demining activities;
urging the rapid finalisation of the protocol between the
relevant parties governing the remaining demining
activities in order to complete demining of the buffer
zone,

PP 9 Welcoming the progress and
continuation of the important activities of the Committee
on Missing Persons; expressing the hope that this process
will promote reconciliation between the communities,

PP 10 Welcoming the proposed confidence building
measures advanced by both sides, as a means of creating
greater trust between the two communities and encouraging
their early implementation; encouraging also progress on
measures such as the opening of additional crossing points
including, but not limited to, at Ledra Street, taking
into account the arrangements already in place at existing
crossing points, and reaffirming the importance of
continued crossing of the Green Line by Cypriots,

PP 11 Welcoming all efforts to promote bicommunal
contacts and events, including, inter alia, on the part of
all United Nations bodies on the island, urging the two
sides to promote the active engagement of civil society
and the encouragement of cooperation between economic and
commercial bodies and to remove all obstacles to such
contacts,

PP 12 Agreeing that an active and flourishing civil
society is essential to the political process and
expressing concern, in this respect, that opportunities
for constructive public debate about the future of the
island, within and between the communities, are becoming
fewer, and that this atmosphere is hampering, in
particular, efforts to foster bicommunal activities
intended to benefit all Cypriots, and to promote
reconciliation and build trust in order to facilitate a
comprehensive settlement,

PP 13 Reaffirming the importance of the
Secretary-General continuing to keep the operations of

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UNFICYP under close review while continuing to take into
account developments on the ground and the views of the
parties, and reverting to the Council with recommendations
as appropriate for further adjustments to UNFICYP's
mandate, force levels and concept of operation as soon as
warranted,

PP14 Welcoming the steps taken by the
Republic of Cyprus to address the living conditions of
many UNFICYP troops,

PP 15 Echoing the Secretary-General's gratitude to
the Government of Cyprus and the Government of Greece for
their voluntary contributions to the funding of UNFICYP,
and his request for further voluntary contributions from
other countries and organizations,

PP 16 Welcoming and encouraging efforts by the
United Nations to sensitize peacekeeping personnel in the
prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other communicable
diseases in all its peacekeeping operations,

OP 1 Welcomes the analysis on developments on the
ground over the last six months in the Secretary-General's
report, in accordance with his mandate;

OP 2 Reaffirms that the status quo is
unacceptable, that time is not on the side of a
settlement, and that negotiations to reunify the island
have been at an impasse for too long;

OP 3 Expresses full support for the 8 July
process, notes with deep concern the lack of any progress,
and calls upon all parties immediately to engage
constructively with the United Nations efforts, as
described in Under- Secretary-General Gambari's letter of
15 November 2006 and to cease mutual recriminations; Urges
all parties to show flexibility and political will over
the coming months to make measurable progress which will
allow fully fledged negotiations to begin,

OP 4 Reaffirms all its relevant resolutions on
Cyprus, in particular resolution 1251 (1999) of 29 June
1999 and subsequent resolutions;

OP 5 Expresses its full support for UNFICYP
and decides to extend its mandate for a further period
ending 15 June 2008;

OP 6 Calls on both sides to continue to
engage, as a matter of urgency and while respecting
UNFICYP's mandate, in consultations with UNFICYP on the
demarcation of the buffer zone, in particular in relation
to the Ledra Street crossing point, and on the United
Nations 1989 aide-memoire, with a view to reaching early
agreement on outstanding issues;

OP 7 Calls on the Turkish Cypriot side and
Turkish forces to restore in Strovilia the military status
quo which existed there prior to 30 June 2000;

OP 8 Requests the Secretary-General to
submit a report on implementation of this resolution by 1
June 2008;

OP 9 Welcomes the efforts being undertaken
by UNFICYP to implement the Secretary-General's zero
tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to
ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United
Nations code of conduct, requests the Secretary-General to
continue to take all necessary action in this regard and
to keep the Security Council informed, and urges
troop-contributing countries to take appropriate
preventive action including the conduct of predeployment
awareness training, and to take disciplinary action and
other action to ensure full accountability in cases of
such conduct involving their personnel;

OP 10 Decides to remain seized of the matter.

End Text.


3. (U) USUN is instructed to draw from the following

talking points during the 14 December, 2007 UN Security
Council vote on UNFICYP and press statement as required.

Begin Talking Points:

--Regret that despite the Special Representative's active
efforts, the parties have been unable to date to come to
an agreement or to begin implementing the July 8
agreement.

--Endorse the UN's renewed efforts to assist the Greek and
Turkish Cypriots to prepare for a full-fledged negotiating
process.

--Before resumption of the Good Offices mission both sides
must show a real interest in progress.

--For UN engagement to be effective, all sides must
embrace a political process that can lead to a resolution
acceptable to majorities in both communities, and show
serious engagement to move such a process forward.

--Offer strong support to the UN in its work to help the
parties to reach an agreement, as it is the best forum
offering hope for addressing the Cyprus problem and
bringing it to a final political solution acceptable to
both sides.


4. (U) Please contact LTC James Thomas, IO/PSC at
202-736-7737 or Anneliese Reinemeyer, IO/UNP at
202-647-0046 for any additional questions or concerns.
RICE