Turkey, 1982

May I first congratulate you, Sir, on your

election to the presidency of the thirty-seventh

session. On this occasion it is a great pleasure

for me to recall here that Turkey and Hungary

have traditionally maintained friendly relations.

As a colleague of yours for many years I have had

the opportunity to appreciate your remarkable

diplomatic skills, and I am confident that your

guidance will enable us to channel our

deliberations and work towards constructive ends.

I wish to pay a tribute to your predecessor, Mr.

Ismat Kittani, who presided with diligence over

the work of the Assembly during the past year

under difficult and strenuous conditions. I wish

also to reiterate our confidence in the

Secretary- General, Mr. Perez de Cuellar. His

fortitude and his balanced, realistic approach to

the problems besetting the world are a great

asset to the United Nations as a whole.

2. The deterioration of the international

situation has continued throughout the past year.

East-West relations remain strained because of

the infringement of the principles of the

Helsinki Final Act,' and this hampers progress in

arms control and in disarmament discussions so

vital for peace and security in the world. The

armaments race continues unabated. The world

economy is going through its worst crisis since

the Second World War. Against this background we

are witnessing a greater tendency to resort to

force and violence and a multiplication of

conflicts and con¬frontations.

3. The thirty-seventh session is being held

at a moment when we are all under the spell of

the momentous events which have taken place in

the Middle East during recent months. The whole

world is stunned by the massacre of innocent men,

women and children in the refugee camps of west

Beirut. That outrage against humanity has

compounded the tragedy unfolding in Lebanon since

the Israelis invaded that country in early June.

4. The responsibility of Israel in the mass

killings at the Sabra and Shatila camps is

irrefutable. Israel has shown that it is not

encumbered by any moral scruples in the pursuit

of its political ambitions in the Middle East. It

should be clear to everybody that there can be no

peace and security in the Middle East unless

Israel is deterred effectively from its

intransigence, its propens ity instantly to

resort to force and violence, its utter disregard

for the interests of other countries in the area,

its frightening contempt for human values and its

defiance of the principles of the Charter of the

United Nations and the resolutions of the General

Assembly and the Security Council.

5. The aggression against Lebanon, the

ruthless Israeli actions, the staggering human

losses and the suffering and material damage

inflicted upon the Lebanese and Palestinian

peoples have been followed with abhorrence and

revulsion by Turkish public opinion. We reiterate

our condemnation of Israeli policies and actions.

At the same time, we wish to make clear here that

we view with mounting concern the dangerous

implications of Israeli policies for the security

of the Middle East as a whole, in which we have a

vital stake.

6. The future course of events in Lebanon

will be crucial for the entire area. Lebanon

should be able to live as an independent and

sovereign country and preserve its territorial

integrity and unity. It should be under the

influence of no other country of the region. We

hope that, despite the convulsions it has

suffered, the people of Lebanon will be able to

achieve national reconciliation. Obviously, the

withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon is of

paramount necessity and every effort should be

exerted to prevent dilatory tactics by Israel.

7. The horror in Lebanon has heightened

awareness of the fact that the Palestinian

question is at the core of the Middle East

conflict. There is greater sense of urgency in

the efforts undertaken with a view to achieving a

comprehensive, durable and just solu¬tion of the

Middle East problem. We have in particular

welcomed the recent initiative of the United

States and the very constructive approach evolved

by the Arab countries at the Twelfth Arab Summit

Conference, which was held in September in Fez.

The United States proposals contain elements

which could con¬tribute significantly to the

elaboration of a framework for future

negotiations among the parties concerned. The

proposals of the Arab Conference represent a

common position and reflect the genuine desire of

the Arab countries to achieve a balanced and

realistic settlement in the interest of all the

countries in the area. It is now up to Israel to

respond in a positive manner to that approach and

finally to alter its per¬ception of security for

itself as consisting of continuous confrontation

with its neighbors.

8. Concerning the substance of a

comprehensive settlement of the Middle East

conflict, I wish to repeat that we consider the

following as indispensable ingredients of a

lasting and just solution: withdrawal of Israel

from all the Arab territories occupied since

1967, including A1 Quds Al Sharif; recognition of

the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people,

including their right to establish an independent

State in their own territory; the participation

of the Palestine l iberation Organization [PLO]

as the legitimate representative of the

Palestinian people in all peace negotiations, on

an equal footing with the other interested

parties in the conflict; the right of every State

in the region to live within secure and

recognized boundaries; and the maintenance of the

Arab and Islamic character of the Holy City of Al

Quds Al Sharif.

9. The war which has been going on between

Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran for the

past two years is a source of profound distress.

From the very outset, we have felt deep anxiety

over the disastrous conflict between two

neighbouring Muslim countries. That war not only

is detrimental to the interests of those two

countries but also has grave implications for the

security and stability of the entire Middle East.

10. We are saddened by the fact that various

peace efforts have so far been of no avail.

Turkey will continue to take an active part in

the endeavors of the Islamic Peace Committee and

persevere in its efforts to support them as an

immediate neighbor of the two countries. We wish

on this occasion to renew our appeal to both Iraq

and Iran to put an end to the bloodshed and to

embark with determination on the road of peace

and reconciliation.

11. The dramatic developments in the Middle

East cannot cloud our concern over the plight of

Afghanistan. The valiant Afghan people continue

to be deprived of their right to

self-determination and remain under foreign

military occupation. We greatly appreciate the

efforts of the Secretary-General towards a

negotiated settlement. Such a settlement should

restore to the Afghan people their right to self-

determination and lead to the withdrawal of

foreign troops from the country.

12. We realize that refugees are a tremendous

burden for countries of asylum. As a humanitarian

measure, we have recently settled nearly 5,000

refugees in Turkey. We have provided them a

temporary home until they can return freely to

their own country, if they so wish.

13. In Africa we follow developments

regarding Namibia with a mixture of anxiety and

guarded optimism. As a founding member of the

United Nations Council for Namibia, Turkey

extends its unreserved support to the people of

Namibia. We hope that on¬going negotiations for

the independence of Namibia within the framework

of United Nations resolutions will finally

achieve their objective and thereby remove an

important source of tension in the world. This

would be a cause for rejoicing in an otherwise

gloomy international scene.

14. Another ray of hope comes from Cyprus.

Once the source of dangerous tension, that island

has been enjoying peace and stability for more

than eight years. Although a settlement has not

yet been reached, the two national communities

are committed to a con¬tinuous negotiating

process. As a result of the sustained efforts of

the Secretary-General, the intercommunal talks

are now proceeding within a comprehensive

framework encompassing allaspects of the Cyprus

problem. The encouraging course of the

negotiations has further strengthened our

conviction that inter¬communal talks represent

the only method for resolv¬ing the issue.

15. The two communities should now intensify

their efforts to reshape their relations within a

federal structure. They should concentrate their

attention on dialogue. They should not be swayed

by the counsel of those who would prefer a

continuation of the con¬flict for their own

selfish ends.

16. Turkey remains firmly committed to the

objective of a just and lasting settlement of the

Cyprus question. We will continue to encourage

the intercommunal talks under the auspices of the

Secretary-General.

17. The Kampuchean problem is another

inter¬national issue which calls for an urgent

solution. What is required is a political

solution that would enable the people of that

country to choose their government without

coercion or intervention from outside. We should

like to express the hope that the formation of

the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea

is a step which will contribute to such an

evolution. We greatly appreciate the efforts of

the members of the Association of South-East

Asian Nations [/1SE/4JV] to bring peace to

Kampuchea and promote stability and prosperity in

South-East Asia.

18. I should like also to say a few words

about the situation on the Korean peninsula. The

division of Korea is certainly painful for all

Koreans. We firmly believe that the reduction of

tension on the peninsula and the creation of

favorable conditions for a dialogue between the

two parties concerned will contribute not only to

the fulfillment of the national aspiration of the

Korean people to unity but also to the

maintenance of peace and stability in the region.

19. The mounting terrorism and violence

throughout the world is a cause for concern for

the entire inter¬national community. some

countries which have allowed their territory to

be used for terrorist actions directed against

other countries or have tolerated political and

propaganda activities in support of such action

are now becoming themselves the hunting grounds

for all kinds of terrorism. That should increase

the awareness that the need for international

co-oper¬ation to curb this scourge is greater and

more urgent than ever.

20. One manifestation of international

terrorism is the attacks directed against

diplomatic representatives. The General Assembly

resolutions on the protection of diplomatic and

consular agents and premises represent an

important step in initiating international

co-operation in this field. We hope that it will

be possible this year to devise more effective

measures for the prevention and elimination of

such acts of terror.

21. Turkey has a special reason for feeling

grave concern on this issue. Armenian terrorists

have in recent years brutally assassinated more

than 20 Turkish diplomats and officials. In the

first week of August, Armenian terrorists

launched an attack at Ankara airport in which

nine people lost their lives and some 70 were

wounded.

22. An intensive propaganda campaign,

based on blatant falsification and distortion of

history, lies behind these vile acts of terror.

The Armenian propaganda alleges that a great

number of Armenians were massacred in Turkey

during the First World War. It demands

vindication for this contrived and imaginary

martyrdom.

23. No amount of propaganda and

disinformation can alter historical truths or

change political realities. After the First World

War the Ottoman Empire collapsed and was replaced

by a completely new State, the Turkish Republic.

Many new States came into being on the territory

of the Empire. But historical facts indicate that

the assertions in Armenian propaganda are

completely unfounded.

24. Prior to the First World War, the

Armenians were concentrated in Istanbul, the

capital of the Ottoman Empire, and in the eastern

provinces. In none of the areas where they lived

did they constitute anything more than a small

minority. The Armenians found themselves in a

majority only in a region of the Caucasuswhere

eventually they created a State which signed a

peace treaty with Turkey recognizing the present

borders and later joined the Union of Soviet

Socialist Republics.

25. Armenian extremists began to resort to

violence in the early 1890s in a manner very

reminiscent of the activities of their successors

today. They caused the deaths of a large number

of innocent people. The outbreak of the First

World War marks the most important crisis in

relations between Turks and Arme¬nians. The

Tsarist Russian Government then instigated the

rising of the Armenians against Ottoman rule in

eastern Anatolia, by promising the establishment

of an Armenian State. That was the signal which

prompted the Armenian extremists to commit large-

scale atrocities against the Turkish population

in eastern Anatolia, as the Russian armies

advanced. It was only after these massacres that

the Ottoman Government decided to move the

Armenian population out of range of the Russian

invading forces in eastern Turkey to central

Syria, which was at that time within the

boundaries of the Ottoman State. Specific

instruc¬tions were issued for the protection of

the life and property of the deportees.

26. Following those events, enormously

exaggerated claims were put forward by Armenian

propagandists. It was alleged that 1.5 million

Armenians died. That is nonsense, since the total

Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire did not

exceed 1.2 million. Of that number, about half a

million Armenians living in north¬east Turkey had

moved to Russia at the outbreak of hostilities in

the area. The deportees numbered approximately

400,000. A sizeable number found their way to

Europe and the United States, and about 100,000

remained in Turkey after the war. There were of

course Armenians as well as Turks who lost their

lives during the war years. The number of Turks

who died during that period was 2 million. Many

of both communities died of cold, famine and

disease and as a result of communal clashes upon

the break¬down of law and order. Because

Armenians collabor¬ated with invading Russian

armies, many also died during military operations.

27. Neither moral nor historical

justification can be found for the callous and

senseless Armenian terrorism. It reflects a

shameful rejection of the human values which the

civilized world is trying to uphold. Armenian

propaganda and violence can achieve nothing more

than a long list of innocent victims.

28. Most of the support and aid that the

protagonists of violence get from Armenian

communities are obtained through extortion and

intimidation. There is no doubt that the great

majority of Armenians through¬out the world abhor

the crimes committed by the fanatics among their

ranks. The Armenians who continue to live in

Turkey in full enjoyment of their rights and in

complete harmony with Turks have condemned the

acts of terror in the strongest terms. It is sad

that some countries provide shelter and support

to terrorists and encourage Armenian propaganda.

These countries cannot disassociate themselves

from the odious crimes being committed. At the

same time, they are creating on their own

territory an atmosphere propitious to the

escalation of violence, which in the end can

cause great harm to themselves.

29. In the economic Held, it is becoming

increas¬ingly evident that the world economy is

under the most adverse economic, financial and

political pres¬sures of the post-war period. High

rates of inflation, low rates of growth and

severe current-account imbalances are indeed the

order of the day. The dif¬ficulties confronted

seem to be not transitory but lasting, as a

result of maladjustments that have accumulated

over a number of years.

30. Against the background of unstable and

unpredictable economic conditions, many

coun¬tries, particularly the industrialized

countries, seem to be moving dangerously towards

protectionism. Such a trend not only would be

damaging to economic efficiency but also would

diminish the prospects for economic growth.

31. It would be deceptive to think that

domestic economic problems can be resolved effectively

while the international economic system is in

turmoil. Indeed, the economies of rich and poor

countries are so interlocked that only

international co-operation can restore growth and

development. However, as the troubles of the

industrialized countries increase international

co-operation tends to diminish and con¬cern for

developing countries wanes. Unlike the last major

recession, in the mid-1970s, when increased aid

and private capital flows to developing nations

helped to shield them from its worse effects,

this time the developing countries are left to

face the full brunt largely unassisted.

Developing countries, particularly the deficit

developing countries, need more time and

resources to carry out structural adjustments in

a way that will minimize the loss of output,

employment and income.

32. At no time has the economic

interdependence among nations been more evident

and at no time has there been greater need for

the formulation of collec¬tive policies and

reforms of established rules of conduct.

Especially in the light of the current world

recession, the formulation of a scheme for

integrated development is indispensable.

33. It is with this conviction that my

Government supports the launching of the global

negotiations in an effort to deal with

international economic issues in a comprehensive

way. Sectoral approaches have not been sufficient

or effective. It must be remembered that, as the

major issues in international economic relations

are interlinked, they can be resolved only

through interdependence.

34. It is understandable that the developing

coun¬tries are engaged in a process of extensive

co-oper¬ation among themselves as well as in an

effort to cope with many of the adverse effects

of the deterior¬ating world economic conditions.

We welcome the growing importance of South-South

co-operation in this respect and believe that

through such a process a: more meaningful

dialogue could be established between the North

and the South in dealing with the current

inefficiencies and inadequacies of the world

economic system.

35. Turkey, which is geographically situated

between two continents, has always found itself

playing a role as a link between Europe, the

Middle East and the Islamic world. Indeed, it has

for centuries been the meeting place between East

and West and North and South. These factors

explain Turkey's multidimen¬sional relations,

namely, its efforts to improve relations with the

countries of the region, its membership in the

Organization for Economic Co-operation and

Development, its association with the European

Community and, in particular, its expanding

relations with the countries of the third world.

36. Although Turkey has great economic

potential, it is still a developing country

facing all the typical problems challenging other

developing countries. Like them, it has been

adversely affected by the rapidly changing and

deteriorating world economic conditions. Its

economy has for some time been in a state of

crisis. However, at the beginning of 1980 it

embarked on a vigorous stabilization program with

the support of international financial

institutions. Daring steps have been taken, and I

can say with confidence that the results have

been promising.

37. As can be seen, Turkey has done its part,

as may have others, in good "housekeeping", and

it will continue to do so with determination. The

inter¬national community and its institutions as

a whole must prepare themselves to respond to

such positive adjustments- if we are to achieve

any progress in finding effective ways of

maintaining stable inter¬national economic

relations in the interest of world peace and

prosperity.

38. One encouraging aspect of this session

has been the impact upon all of us of the first

report of the Secretary-General on the work of

the Organization. He has put before us with

clarity and perceptiveness the central issues the

United Nations faces today. He has analyzed

frankly and accurately the reasons preventing the

Organization from fulfilling its basic mission of

safeguarding peace and security and promoting international

co-operation. We have been reminded appropriately

of our duties and respon-sibilities. It is now

incumbent upon us to reflect on the ideas of the

Secretary-General and to come forward with

renewed determination to transform the United

Nations into an effective instrument of

international peace and security and orient our

bilateral and multilateral policies towards this

objective.