THE UNITED NATIONS MEDAL (UNFICYP)

Obverse: The United Nations global projection emblem, above which are the letters "UN".

Reverse: Plain, with the legend "IN THE SERVICE OF PEACE".

Size: 35mm in diameter.

Ribbon: 35mm wide, the ribbon for this medal is blue with a 10mm white centre stripe. The centre stripe has a 1mm dark blue stripe on each side of it. Three months of service in the Mission was necessary to qualify for award of the medal.

Suspension: The ribbon is threaded through a 12mm diameter ring, which passes through a loop fixed to the top of the piece. The ring will move forwards and backwards.

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, 27 March 1964 to present. UNFICYP was established in March 1964 to prevent the recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, to maintain law and order, and to promote the return to normal conditions. Following a Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus, a buffer zone between the warring factions was established that eventually extended 288 kilometres across the island. Each year hundreds of incidents are reported. The maximum strength of UNFICYP is 6,411 personnel, with 149 casualties being suffered to June 1990. New Zealand had a police detachment attached to the force between May 1964 and June 1967.

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