135. Financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

By its resolution 186 (1964) of 4 March 1964, the Security Council recommended that a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) be established and that the Force be stationed for three months with a mandate to use its best efforts to prevent a recurrence of fighting and, as necessary, to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions. Since then, the Council has periodically extended the mandate of UNFICYP, usually for periods of six months at a time, the latest extension of which was by resolution 1818 (2008) of 13 June 2008 for a further period ending on 15 December 2008.

Prior to 16 June 1993, the Secretary-General was not authorized to utilize any funds other than voluntary contributions pledged by Member States for the financing of UNFICYP. Pursuant to Security Council resolution 831 (1993) of 27 May 1993, the General Assembly, in its resolution 47/236 of 14 September 1993, decided that, beginning 16 June 1993, the costs of UNFICYP that were not covered by voluntary contributions should be treated as expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations.

At its resumed sixty-second session, in June 2008, the General Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNFICYP the amount of $2,516,500 for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007, in addition to the amount of $46,770,000 already appropriated for the same period; also decided to appropriate $3,646,500 for the maintenance of UNFICYP for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, in addition to the amount of $48,847,500 already appropriated for the same period; further decided to appropriate the amount of $57,392,000 for the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009, inclusive of $54,851,100 for the maintenance of the Force, $2,215,000 for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $325,900 for the United Nations Logistics Base; noted that a one-third share of the net appropriation, equivalent to $18,264,450, would be funded through voluntary contributions from the Government of Cyprus and the amount of $6.5 million from the Government of Greece; decided to apportion among Member States the amount of $32,627,550 at a monthly rate of $2,718,962; also decided that there should be set off against the apportionment among Member States their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of $2,543,800; further decided that the additional staff assessment income for the period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 should be set off against the apportionment among Member States their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of $292,200; decided, taking into account its voluntary contribution for the financial period ended 30 June 2007, that one third of other income in the amount of $403,829 in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2007 should be returned to the Government of Cyprus; also decided, taking into account its voluntary contribution for the financial period ended 30 June 2007, that the prorated share of other income in the amount of $167,353 in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2007 should be returned to the Government of Greece; and further decided to continue to maintain as separate the account established for UNFICYP for the period prior to 16 June 1993 (resolution 62/255).