A/HRC/34/15 6. Intensive talks continued in Mont Pèlerin, Switzerland, from 7 to 11 and on 20 to 21 November 2016, focused on the chapter of territory and all other outstanding issues, interdependently with the other chapters. 7. In its resolution 2300 (2016), the Security Council welcomed the commitments set out in the joint statements of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders of 15 May and 8 June 2016 on the basis of the joint declaration adopted on 11 February 2014, and welcomed the progress made in negotiations since then. The Council noted, however, that the negotiations had not yet resulted in an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in relevant Council resolutions. It therefore encouraged the sides to intensify the substantive negotiations on the unresolved core issues interdependently, stressing that the status quo was unsustainable. 8. In the absence of an OHCHR field presence in Cyprus, OHCHR relied, in the preparation of the present report, on a variety of sources with particular knowledge of the situation of human rights on the island, and also on the recent findings of international and regional human rights mechanisms. UNFICYP, the Secretary-General’s good offices, the secretariat of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus and various stakeholders were consulted in the preparation of the present report. II. Challenges for the implementation of international human rights standards in a protracted conflict 9. Various United Nations treaty bodies and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council have voiced their concerns at the factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of international human rights standards on the whole island owing to the protracted conflict. In the period under review, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/CYP/CO/6), the Committee against Torture (CAT/C/TUR/CO/4), the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (A/HRC/33/51/Add.1) and the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights 2 made recommendations addressed to Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot authorities and Turkey. 10. While noting that Cyprus does not exercise control over all of its territory and is thus unable to protect and promote the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights throughout the island, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights expressed deep concern at the massive destruction of cultural heritage sites and artefacts, mostly in the northern part of Cyprus, and also at the limited access of people in Cyprus to their cultural heritage sites (E/C.12/CYP/CO/6, para. 43). 11. At the conclusion of her visit to the island from 24 May to 2 June 2016, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights noted that the current political situation in Cyprus had created many obstacles to the enjoyment of cultural rights, and in particular to their enjoyment without discrimination. She was struck by the administrative obstacles the division of Cyprus posed for individuals, whether in their access to cultural heritage, visiting cemeteries, registering marriages or even insuring their vehicles. She noted that the division had led to mistrust, which was magnified by the resultant logistical obstacles; for example, it was reported that children from the north found it difficult to enter the buffer zone for cultural or educational activities. Academics, intellectuals and cultural heritage professionals from all parts of the island wishing to collaborate were unable to do so, 2 4 See “Preliminary conclusions and observations by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights at the end of her visit to Cyprus”, press release, 2 June 2016. See also A/HRC/34/56/Add.1.