Security Council resolution 1873 (2009) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)]
Symbol: S/RES/1873(2009)
Date: 2009-05-29
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/64 [42] CYPRUS QUESTION
S/64 [43] UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN CYPRUS
Subjects: UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|UN. Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|DEMILITARIZED ZONES|CYPRUS|CYPRUS QUESTION|NEGOTIATION|CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES|DISPUTE SETTLEMENT|GREEK CYPRIOT COMMUNITY|TURKISH CYPRIOT COMMUNITY|REPORT PREPARATION|SEX CRIMES|CODES OF CONDUCT|MILITARY PERSONNEL|TRAINING PROGRAMMES|ACCOUNTABILITY
Votes in favour: 14
Votes against: 1
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: AUSTRIA
vote: yes
country: BURKINA FASO
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COSTA RICA
vote: yes
country: CROATIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: TURKEY
vote: no
country: UGANDA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/1873 (2009)
               Security Council                                               Distr.: General
                                                                              29 May 2009




               Resolution 1873 (2009)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6132nd meeting, on
               29 May 2009

                    The Security Council,
                    Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 15 May 2009 (S/2009/248)
               on the United Nations operation in Cyprus,
                     Noting that the Government of Cyprus is agreed that in view of the prevailing
               conditions on the island it is necessary to keep the United Nations Peacekeeping
               force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) beyond 15 June 2009,
                     Echoing the Secretary-General’s firm belief that the responsibility for finding
               a solution lies first and foremost with the Cypriots themselves, stressing that there
               now exists a rare opportunity to make decisive progress, and reaffirming 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,
                     Commending the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders for the political
               leadership they have shown, and warmly welcoming the progress made so far in the
               fully fledged negotiations, and the leaders’ joint statements,
                    Strongly urging the leaders to increase the momentum in the negotiations to
               ensure the full exploitation of this opportunity to reach a comprehensive settlement
               based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in the
               relevant Security Council resolutions,
                     Emphasizing the importance attached by the international community of all
               parties engaging fully, flexibly and constructively in the negotiations, and looking
               forward to decisive progress in those negotiations in the near future,
                    Welcoming the intention of the Secretary-General to keep the Council
               informed of further development and progress,
                     Welcoming also the implementation of some of the confidence-building
               measures announced by the leaders, and calling for a renewed effort to implement
               the remaining measures and for agreement on and implementation of further steps to
               build trust between the communities,
                    Reaffirming the importance of continued crossings of the Green Line by
               Cypriots, encouraging the opening by mutual agreement of other crossing points,


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               noting the commitment in the leaders’ joint statements to pursue the opening of the
               Limnitis/Yesilirmak crossing point, encouraging implementation of the commitment
               to a second phase of the restoration of the Ledra Street crossing, and urging in this
               context the leaders to make every effort to implement those measures,
                     Convinced of the many important benefits for all Cypriots that would flow
               from a comprehensive and durable Cyprus settlement, and encouraging both sides
               clearly to explain these benefits, as well as the need for increased flexibility and
               compromise in order to secure them, to both communities well in advance of any
               eventual referenda,
                    Highlighting the supportive role the international community will continue to
               play in helping the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders to exploit fully the
               current opportunity,
                     Taking note of the assessment of the Secretary-General that the security
               situation on the island and along the Green Line remains stable, welcoming the
               decrease in the overall number of incidents involving the two sides and urging all
               sides to avoid any action, including restrictions on UNFICYP’s movements as noted
               in the Secretary-General’s report (S/2009/248), which could lead to an increase in
               tension, undermine the good progress achieved so far, or damage the goodwill on
               the island,
                    Recalling 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,
                    Welcoming the progress made in proceeding with demining activities, and
               looking forward to the clearance of the remaining minefields,
                    Welcoming the progress and continuation of the important activities of the
               Committee on Missing Persons, echoing the Secretary-General’s call for every
               possible action to be taken to speed up the exhumation process, and trusting that this
               process will promote reconciliation between the communities,
                     Agreeing that active participation of civil society groups is essential to the
               political process and can contribute to making any future settlement sustainable,
               welcoming all efforts to promote bicommunal contacts and events including, inter
               alia, on the part of all United Nations bodies on the island, and 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,
                    Stressing the need for the Council to pursue a rigorous, strategic approach to
               peacekeeping deployments,
                    Welcoming the intention of the Secretary-General to keep all peacekeeping
               operations, including those of UNFICYP, under close review and noting the
               importance of contingency planning in relation to the settlement, including
               recommendations as appropriate for further adjustments to UNFICYP’s mandate,
               force levels and concept of operations, taking into account developments on the
               ground and the views of the parties,




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                Welcoming the continued efforts of Alexander Downer as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser with a mandate to assist the parties in the conduct of fully
           fledged negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement,
                Echoing also 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,
                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,
               1.     Welcomes the analysis of developments on the ground over the last six
           months in the Secretary-General’s report, in accordance with his mandate;
                2.    Welcomes also the progress made so far in the fully fledged negotiations,
           and the prospect of further progress in the near future towards a comprehensive and
           durable settlement that this has created;
                3.   Urges full exploitation of this opportunity, including by intensifying the
           momentum of negotiations, improving the current atmosphere of trust and goodwill,
           and engaging in the process in a constructive and open manner;
                4.   Urges also the implementation of confidence-building measures, and
           looks forward to agreement on and implementation of further such steps, including
           the opening of other crossing points;
                5.   Reaffirms all its relevant resolutions on Cyprus, in particular resolution
           1251 (1999) of 29 June 1999 and subsequent resolutions;
               6.    Expresses its full support for UNFICYP and decides to extend its
           mandate for a further period ending 15 December 2009;
                7.    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, and on the United Nations 1989 aide-memoire, with
           a view to reaching early agreement on outstanding issues;
                8.     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;
                 9.    Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on implementation of
           this resolution, including on contingency planning in relation to the settlement, by
           1 December 2009 and to keep the Security Council updated on events as necessary;
                10. 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;
                11.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.



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