A/HRC/31/21 C. Freedom of movement 29. According to article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State, as well as the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. 17 30. In Cyprus, however, crossings between the northern and the southern parts of the island are still possible only through official crossing points, of which there are currently seven, a situation that obviously limits the freedom of movement. Between 1 December 2014 and 31 October 2015, UNFICYP reported over 1,800,000 official crossings through the buffer zone. In July 2015, the Secretary-General commended the decision of the Turkish Cypriot leader to facilitate crossings by removing the requirement to complete administrative forms at crossing points (see S/2015/517, para. 37). 31. In its eleventh report on the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 866/2004 (the Green Line Regulation), the European Commission noted an increase in the number of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots crossing the Green Line in 2014 compared with previous years.18 The Commission referred to one incident, while noting that stability, predictability of practice at the crossing points and legal certainty were essential to attain the objectives of the regulations. With UNFICYP support, important steps were taken to facilitate the practice of religious worship, and religious leaders benefited from easier crossing possibilities in both directions. 32. In its concluding observations of 31 March 2015, while noting the efforts by the Republic of Cyprus to reach an agreement with Turkish Cypriot leaders on new crossing points, the Human Rights Committee expressed concern that certain restrictions on crossing the Green Line — notably the policy concerning the passage of Turkish settlers and their descendants who had been born in occupied areas — unduly interfered with the enjoyment of the right to the freedom of movement conferred upon all residents of the island by article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Committee recommended that the Republic of Cyprus continue its efforts to open new crossing points and take measures to facilitate greater access by residents of the northern part of the island to the southern part (see CCPR/C/CYP/CO/4, para. 17). In response to the Committee’s questions concerning crossing points and measures taken to avoid a human rights protection gap resulting from the protracted conflict in both the northern and southern parts of the island, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus provided clarifications concerning rules and regulations for persons crossing the Green Line and indicated that it was not in a position to apply and ensure the implementation of human rights in the whole of its territory (see CCPR/C/CYP/Q/4/Add.1, paras. 6, 158 and 159). 33. On 28 May 2015, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders announced further confidence-building measures that would bring the two communities closer together, including working towards the opening of more crossing points, starting at LefkaAplici/Lefke-Aplıç and Deryneia/Derynia. UNFICYP subsequently supported the work of the Technical Committee on Crossings on the opening of the two crossing points and facilitated discussions on the possible opening of additional crossing points. In August 2015, the Secretary-General informed the Security Council that the United Nations Mine Action Service, facilitated by UNFICYP, had conducted risk assessments around the proposed crossing points in the buffer zone. In order to move forward with regard to the two crossings and ensure the safety of Cypriots and of UNFICYP personnel who would patrol and monitor the area, the Secretary-General noted that mine clearance would be 17 18 See also the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 12. Report from the Commission to the Council, COM(2015) 235 final, p. 3. 9