The Green Line in Cyprus

The UN at work 1976-77

 All images are courtesy of the UN's Blue Beret magazine. The low image quality of these early pictures is due to the printing process of the 1970s.

It is noticeable in these years that a large number of images show UN officers indicating the direction of the Turkish lines to important visitors!
This is indicative of the "status quo" that was beginning to settle over the Buffer Zone.

The first of many "pointing" images........a Canadian soldier indicating the Turkish lines to a visitor.

More pointing during a unit handover.

The retirement message from Major-General Prem Chand.

8 Sqn RCT beginning their weekly Friday convoy to Turkish Cypriots in the Kokkina enclave.

The Canadian chageover and medal parade at Nicosia Airport.

This Swedish APC had, at the time of this photograph, been in use for over 30 years. These particular vehicles were operational in the Congo before being modernised for use in Cyprus.

The changeover of a Swedish Battalions.

In November 1977 the Finnish Battalion left UNFICYP.

One of the repaired Cyprus Airways Tridents was given a British Airways paint scheme and, in a cloud of black smoke, flown out of Nicosia Airport.

The patrol road runs through the Buffer Zone and often needed repair work to ensure it was always navigable.

A night of music in the ancient theatre at Salamis.

An unusual sight in 1977, a new OP was built in the Buffer Zone at Atheniou by Austrian soldiers......it was named 'Foxhill' OP A-40.

There was a process of improving access to the more remote OPs that previously could only be resupplied by helicopter.

As part of the redeployment of UNFICYP the Austrians moved to Sector 6 and the Swedes to Sector 5.
The image shows the camp in Famagusta.

A memorial service for the three Austrian soldiers killed in the August 1974 airstrike.

A welcome visitor for the Canadian UN.

An article about the replacement for the Sioux helicopter.