Representatives of the Turkish Cypriot authorities will hold a meeting with the UN peacekeeping force on Monday regarding the controversial construction of a road between the villages of Pyla and Arsos.
According to Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Duzen, the meeting will be held to “evaluate the latest situation”, while it has been reportedly described as “the last chance for diplomacy”.
However, Unficyp spokesman Aleem Siddique moved to make reassurances that diplomatic channels had not been exhausted, telling the Cyprus Mail “we are engaging with the Turkish Cypriot side every day.
“We will be discussing the incident which took place in Pyla last week, and working on finding a way forward which is mutually acceptable to all parties. These discussions take place at every level, on a daily basis, and on a whole raft of issues,” he said.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) earlier on Monday morning, Siddique had said there was “no change” on the construction site.
The situation in the area had remained “calm” throughout the weekend after an eruption of violence on Friday saw a UN peacekeeper punched in the face and multiple vehicles rendered undriveable as the UN attempted to block access to the buffer zone.
The incident received widespread global condemnation, including from UN Secretary general Antonio Guterres, but the Turkish Cypriot side reiterated its determination to construct the road.
The UN Security Council is set to hold a closed meeting on Monday night to discuss the matter.