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 1604 (2005) of 15 June 2005 for a further period ending on 15 December 2005.

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 fifty-ninth session, in April 2005, the General Assembly decided to continue to maintain as separate the account established for the Force for the period prior to 16 June 1993, invited Member States to make voluntary contributions to that account and requested the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in appealing for voluntary contributions to the account (resolution 59/284 A).

At its resumed fifty-ninth session, in June 2005, the General Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNFICYP the amount of $1,665,400 for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 and to apportion among Member States the additional amount of $1,164,600 for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004; also decided that there should be set off against the apportionment among Member States their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of $163,000, representing the additional staff assessment income for the Force for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004; further decided that for Member States that had fulfilled their financial obligations to UNFICYP, there should be set off against their apportionment their respective share of other income in the amount of $701,231 in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2004; decided that for Member States that had not fulfilled their financial obligations to UNFICYP, their respective share of other income of $701,231 in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2004 should be set off against their outstanding obligations; also decided, taking into account its voluntary contribution for the financial period ended 30 June 2004, that one third of other income in the amount of $451,300 in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2004 should be returned to the Government of Cyprus; further decided, taking into account its voluntary contribution for the financial period ended 30 June 2004, that the prorated share of other income in the amount of $201,369 in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2004 should be returned to the Government of Greece, and decided to continue to maintain as separate the account established for UNFICYP for the period prior to 16 June 1993. At the same session, the General Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNFICYP the amount of $46,512,600 for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006, inclusive of $44,184,300 for the maintenance of the Force, $1,903,800 for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $424,500 for the Logistics Base, and to apportion among Member States the amount of $25,313,600 at a monthly rate of $2,109,466; and also decided that there should be set off against the apportionment among Member States their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of $2,415,600 for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006, comprising the estimated staff assessment income of $2,112,100 approved for the Force, the prorated share of $269,100 of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the support account and the prorated share of $34,400 of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the Logistics Base (resolution 59/284 B).