U.N. Extends Stay of Cyprus Peace Force
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UNITED NATIONS — The Security Council on Thursday unanimously renewed the mandate of the eight-nation, 2,300-man U.N. peace force on Cyprus through next June to help further talks on reunification of the divided Mediterranean island.
The U.N. force has been stationed in Cyprus since 1964, after fighting between the island’s Greek and Turkish communities.
Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar recommended its continued presence to enable him to pursue talks on reuniting the island. He said the talks have brought the two sides “within reach of an agreement.”
Perez de Cuellar also asked for more money from governments to keep the peace force in place in light of its current deficit of $134 million. The force, under the command of Austrian Maj. Gen. Guenther Greindl, is financed by voluntary contributions.
Australia, Austria, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Sweden contribute troops.
In the Security Council, delegates of Greece and the Greek Cypriot side reaffirmed their demand that Turkish troops, stationed in Cyprus since 1974, must be withdrawn before a solution can be negotiated.
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