Cyprus, 2003

I would like to extend

to you, Sir, my warmest congratulations on your

election as President of the General Assembly at its

fifty-eighth session. We are indeed very happy to see a

Minister from a fellow Commonwealth, and also an

island State, presiding over the session. I am sure that

your diplomatic skills, experience and grasp of the

issues will harmoniously steer our work. I would also

like to express our thanks and appreciation to your

predecessor, Mr. Jan Kavan, for the excellent record of

his presidency.

This year my country is about to fulfil its most

ambitious aspiration — joining the European Union.

After having signed the accession treaty in April, we

expect to become a full member, along with nine other

acceding countries, on 1 May 2004. But already we are

associated with the work of the Union and participate

in all meetings and in the life of the new European

family of the 25 members. Hence, Cyprus is represented

by the statement of the Italian Presidency of the

European Union and fully subscribes to its contents.

Unfortunately, the current session is taking place

in a heavy and loaded atmosphere. The deadly attack

against the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad

last month, as well as the most recent one of two days

ago, continue to fill us with bitterness and indignation.

We all share the feeling of great injustice and insult to

the international community. Once again, I wish to

express our deep condolences to the victims’ families

and our sympathy to those injured. At the same time,

we should also convey the message that such actions

will not deter us from the pursuit of the high ideals of

the United Nations and its engagement in Iraq.

From Baghdad to Jakarta, from Russia to India,

and back to the heinous attacks of 11 September two

years ago, terrorist acts around the globe serve as a

painful reminder that terrorism transcends borders and

attacks universal values. Freedom, democracy, human

rights and humanity itself have to be defended by the

international community with persistence and

determination. At the same time, we should be cautious

and ensure that our actions are fully in line with the

cherished values we want to uphold. As the threat is

unfortunately far from over, a genuine global

mobilization, under the aegis of the United Nations, is

of the essence if this endeavour is to be successful.

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Cyprus is playing its part fully in this concerted effort

and is among the countries that have ratified all 12 of

the international conventions pertaining to terrorism.

Furthermore, it has recently ratified the United Nations

Convention on the Safety of United Nations and

Associated Personnel of 1994.

The non-proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction has become, and rightly so, a top priority in

the world’s agenda. The risk of acquisition of such

weapons by terrorist groups highlights even more the

gravity and the urgency of the issues to be addressed.

In that respect, the United Nations has a truly

instrumental role to play. The universalization of, and

compliance with, multilateral treaties related to

disarmament and non-proliferation, as well as verification

mechanisms and internationally-coordinated export

controls, are essential tools in our efforts. We have

repeatedly expressed our genuine commitment to

international norms in the field of disarmament. I am

happy to report that Cyprus, earlier this year, ratified

the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the

Ottawa Convention.

The Government of Cyprus attaches great

importance to the international effort against mine

proliferation and the clearing of minefields. For this

reason it has taken the initiative to clear all minefields

laid in the buffer zone by the Cyprus National Guard

immediately after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. In

this regard, I would like to announce today my

Government’s decision and firm commitment: first, to

unilaterally start within the next two months, in

cooperation with the United Nations and with the

financial support of the European Union, mine

clearance in the buffer zone and, secondly, to

unilaterally proceed with the destruction of an

appreciable amount of stockpiled antipersonnel mines

this year during the month of November. This is just a

first step but, I believe, a major one in the

implementation of our obligations under the

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,

Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and

on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

This year again, the situation in the Middle East

remains a source of major concern for the region and

beyond. The Quartet’s road map, with the

overwhelming international support it enjoys,

represents an historic opportunity that should not be

missed. Unfortunately, in recent days, the international

community has held its breath as blind and spiralling

violence thwarts the efforts to place and maintain on a

solid track this process which would lead to a

settlement. The necessary political will should be

demonstrated by both sides, at all levels, and be

matched with persistent action on the ground, in the

right direction.

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate

our longstanding position for a just settlement, in

accordance with international law, United Nations

resolutions and the agreements reached between the

parties, which will put an end to the occupation and

realize the aspirations of the Palestinian people for the

establishment of an independent state, side by side with

Israel, in peace and security. Cyprus, a country of the

region with traditionally close relations with both

parties, stands ready to assist in every possible way.

The realization of the Charter’s vision of a just,

peaceful and prosperous world remains inextricably

linked with the commitment to promote and protect

human rights and fundamental freedoms in full

conformity with their universal, indivisible and

interdependent nature.

The Republic of Cyprus, still witnessing serious

violations of human rights within its territory by

foreign armed forces, places human rights at the very top

of its agenda. While working hard for the promotion and

protection of the human rights of all its citizens under the

harsh circumstances imposed by the invasion and

occupation of a significant part of its territory, Cyprus

never loses sight of the universal dimension of human

rights and remains active and resolutely watches over

the protection of human rights throughout the world. It

reaffirms its full support of the Secretary General’s

efforts to integrate human rights into the whole range

of United Nations activities and reiterates its

commitment to working closely with United Nations

partners towards their universal implementation.

We still strive in Cyprus for establishing the fate

of all those Cypriots, both Greek and Turkish, missing

since the Turkish invasion of 1974. This is a major

issue of a purely humanitarian character and we seek

the support of the international community as a whole

in order to put an end, at last, to the continuing ordeal

of so many families. For this to happen, the

cooperation and political will of the Republic of

Turkey are absolutely necessary.

Furthermore, the rights of the few remaining

enclaved persons in the occupied part of Cyprus

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continue to be violated. The rights of the refugees are

also still being denied, while our people face new faits

accomplis by the occupation army, as in the case of the

advance of the Turkish Army in the area of Strovilia.

With the assistance of the international community we

are, nevertheless, resolved to persevere in the

implementation of international conventions and for

the restoration of the human rights of all Cypriots.

In view of the new challenges that the United

Nations is required to face, Cyprus strongly supports

the Secretary General’s United Nations objectives,

which aim at adapting the internal structures and

culture of the Organization to new expectations. It

therefore welcomes the work done on strengthening the

management and administration — as well as

streamlining the budget — of the United Nations.

My country also attaches great importance to the

improvement of the intergovernmental structure and

processes of the United Nations and the revitalization

of the General Assembly as essential elements of the

reform process, whose aim is to bring about a stronger

United Nations system that will be able to effectively

pursue the priorities adopted in the United Nations

Millennium Declaration.

We certainly need effectiveness but we cannot

separate it from legitimacy. In Cyprus, we know, from

our own experience, both the importance of legitimacy

and the need for effectiveness. We have been facing the

catastrophic results of aggression and we have been

struggling for more than 29 years for the solution of

the problem created by the invasion and occupation of

the northern part of our country by Turkey.

Despite all efforts, Turkish intransigence has not

been curbed and their defiance of numerous resolutions

of the General Assembly and of the Security Council

continues unabated. Such an attitude constitutes not

only unacceptable behaviour in international relations

but is also completely anachronistic and

incomprehensible to any rational thought. Furthermore

it is at variance with the will and the wish of the

overwhelming majority of Turkish Cypriots themselves

who are persistently asking for a solution and for

participation in the accession of Cyprus to the European

Union. We continue, as far as we are concerned, to do

our best to bring them on board and we have embarked

on an ambitious policy in order to enhance their

standard of living and allow them to fully enjoy the

rights and benefits that they are entitled to as Cypriots.

In Cyprus, we have faced adversity for so many

years and we have survived. Hence, we know that we

have to persevere. We still believe in the United

Nations and we are grateful for its interest and

involvement. I would like to take this opportunity to

express our sincere thanks to the Secretary-General for

his tireless efforts within the framework of his mission

of good offices in Cyprus, entrusted to him by the

Security Council. I would like also to praise the work

of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General,

Mr. Álvaro de Soto, and all members of his team, of his

assistant of the United Nations Mission, as well as of

the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and

of the contributing countries. I believe that it is

appropriate to mention this here at this stage because,

as you all know, the continuing and longstanding

Turkish intransigence thwarted a few months ago what

was probably the strongest initiative ever of the United

Nations for finding a solution in Cyprus.

We understand and share the bitterness and the

disappointment of all involved regarding this failure

but, as I said before, we should not give up. We have

always counted on United Nations support and

involvement and we will continue to do so. We are

always ready, whenever the Secretary-General invites

us, to engage in serious negotiations on the basis of his

plan in order to reach a settlement as soon as possible,

in conformity with relevant United Nations resolutions.

We hope that it will soon be possible for the other side

to realize that they have to return to the negotiating

table, to cooperate constructively with the Secretary-

General and to demonstrate the necessary political will

to yield a settlement.

A solution is urgently needed in Cyprus, a

functional and viable solution that will embrace all

Cypriots and will allow our country to take its stride

and fully assume its place and role within the European

family. A united Cyprus in a united Europe will thrive

and progress with its partners towards a secure and

prosperous future, working hand in hand with all other

members of the international community for the

promotion of universal values and peace.