United Nations Security Council Resolution 1953

Adopted by the Security Council at its 6445th meeting, on 14 December 2010

The Security Council,

Welcoming the reports of the Secretary-General of 29 November 2010 (S/2010/605) on the United Nations operation in Cyprus and of 24 November 2010 (S/2010/603) on his mission of good offices 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 December 2010,

Echoing the Secretary-General’s firm belief that the responsibility for finding a solution lies first and foremost with the Cypriots themselves, 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,

 Welcoming the progress made so far in the fully fledged negotiations, and the leaders’ joint statements including those of 23 May and 1 July 2008,

Expressing concern at the slow pace of progress in recent months, stressing that the status quo is unsustainable and that there now exists a unique opportunity to make decisive progress in a timely fashion, and strongly urging the leaders to increase the momentum in the negotiations to ensure the full exploitation of this opportunity to reach an enduring, comprehensive and just 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, echoing the Secretary-General’s view that a solution is well within reach, and looking forward to decisive progress in the near future building on the progress made to date,

Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General to stimulate progress during his meeting with the two leaders on 18 November 2010, his intention to meet with the two leaders in January 2011, and noting his intention to submit to the Security Council in February 2011 an updated assessment on the state of the process,

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, welcoming the opening of the Limnitis/Yesilirmak crossing point in October 2010, and encouraging the opening by mutual agreement of other crossing points,

Convinced of the many important benefits for all Cypriots that would flow from a comprehensive and durable Cyprus settlement, urging the two sides and their leaders to foster positive public rhetoric, and encouraging them clearly to explain the benefits of the settlement, as well as the need for increased flexibility and compromise in order to secure it, to both communities well in advance of any eventual referenda,

Considering that undermining the UN’s credibility undermines the peace process itself,

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, and urging all sides to avoid any action which could lead to an increase in tension, undermine the 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, looking forward to the clearance of the remaining minefields, and urging agreement on extension of demining operations to other remaining areas,

Welcoming also the progress and continuation of the important activities of the Committee on Missing Persons, 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,

Welcoming also the continued efforts of Alexander Downer as the Secretary- General’s Special Advisor with a mandate to assist the parties in the conduct of fully-fledged negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement, and the efforts of Lisa Buttenheim as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative,

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, and expressing appreciation to member states that contribute personnel to UNFICYP,

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 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;

2.Takes note of the recommendations of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2010/603) and calls upon the two leaders to:


 * (a) intensify the momentum of negotiations, and engage in the process in a constructive and open manner, including by developing a practical plan for overcoming the major remaining points of disagreement in preparation for their meeting with the Secretary-General in January 2011;


 * (b) improve the public atmosphere in which the negotiations are proceeding, including by focussing public messages on convergences and the way ahead, and delivering more constructive and harmonised messages; and


 * (c) increase the participation of civil society in the process as appropriate;

3.Urges 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;

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

5.Expresses its full support for UNFICYP and decides to extend its mandate for a further period ending 15 June 2011;

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, and on the United Nations 1989 aide-memoire, with a view to reaching early agreement on outstanding issues;

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;

8.Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on implementation of this resolution, including on contingency planning in relation to the settlement, by 1 June 2011 and to keep the Security Council updated on events as necessary;

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 pre-deployment awareness training, and to take disciplinary action and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;

10.Decides to remain seized of the matter.