United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus

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UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus

The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus runs for more than 300 km along the Green Line, which partitions the island of Cyprus into a southern area, administered by the Republic of Cyprus, and a northern area, which is controlled by the separatist^[1] self-proclaimed^[2]^[3] Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The former is a member of the United Nations and the European Union and has diplomatic relations with more than 170 other countries,^[4] while the latter according to its own Washington, D.C. Web site, has been declared illegal by the United Nations and is “unrecognised across the world.”^[5]

1 History
2 Deaths within the Buffer Zone
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

A "security zone" was established after the Tripartite Conference of Geneva in July 1974. Pursuant to UNSC Resolution 353 (1974)^[6], the foreign ministers of Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom convened in Geneva, Switzerland on 25 July 1974. According to UNFICYP, the text of the joint declaration transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations was as follows:^[7]

A security zone of a size to be determined by representatives of Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, in consultation with UNFICYP, was to be established at the limit of the areas occupied by the Turkish armed forces. This zone was to be entered by no forces other than those of UNFICYP, which was to supervise the prohibition of entry. Pending the determination of the size and character of the security zone, the existing area between the two forces was not to be entered by any forces.

The buffer zone is patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Its width ranges from a few metres in Nicosia to several kilometres near the village of Athienou.

Turkish forces built a barrier on the zone's northern side, consisting mainly of barbed-wire fencing, concrete wall segments, watchtowers, anti-tank ditches, and minefields. ^[8]

The UN buffer zone is shown in blue on the map

After a nearly 30-year ban on crossings, the Turkish Cypriot de facto administration significantly eased travel restrictions across the dividing line in April 2003, allowing Greek Cypriots to cross at the Ledra Palace Crossing just outside the walls of old Nicosia. These are the crossings now available :

Astromeritis / Zodeia-Bostancı (by car only)
Agios Dometios / Metehan
Ledra Palace (on foot only)
Ledra Street (on foot only)
Pyla / Pergamos–Beyarmudu
Agios Nikolaos / Strovilia-Akyar

Before Cypriot accession to the European Union, there were restrictions on Green Line crossings by foreigners imposed by the Republic of Cyprus, but these were abolished for EU citizens by EU-regulation 866/2004 [1]. Generally, citizens of any country are permitted to cross the line, including Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Passports are required for entry into the area not under the republic's effective control, but they are not stamped.

[edit] Deaths within the Buffer Zone

Tasos Isaak beaten to death within the Buffer Zone.

Tensions along the barrier have arisen several times in the past, with the latest civilian incident taking place in 1996, when in a demonstration at Deryneia, a Greek Cypriot was beaten to death by Turkish Cypriots while trying to cross the Green Line. The following day, another Greek Cypriot man was shot and killed trying to climb up a flagpole to retrieve a Turkish Cypriot flag.

In August 1996, Greek Cypriot refugees demonstrated with a march against the Turkish-supported section of Cyprus. The demonstrators' demand was the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops and the return of the refugees to their homes and properties.

On August 11 of the same year, a Greek Cypriot demonstrator, Tassos Isaak, crossed into the buffer zone, but came face to face with Turkish counter-demonstrators and was beaten to death.^[9]

Solomos Solomou shot by Kenan Akin and Erdan Emanet.

Another man, Solomos Solomou, was shot by Turkish troops during the same protests on 14 August 1996.^[10] Aged 26, Solomou was one of many mourners who entered the Buffer Zone three days after Isaak's funeral, on August 14 to lay a wreath on the spot where he had been beaten to death. Solomou was fired upon by Turkish soldiers at close range as he climbed a flagpole.^[11] An investigation followed by authorities of the Republic of Cyprus and the suspects were named as Kenan Akin and Erdan Emanet. International legal proceedings were instigated^[12] and arrest warrants for both were issued via Interpol.^[13]