YouSaid · the spoken record

Demetris Christofias

lines on the record
29
first
2011-09-24
most recent
2012-09-24
sittings or episodes
2
sources
un-general-debate

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  1. “In looking beyond 2015, we need to recommit ourselves to a solid new agenda aimed at poverty eradication, inclusive economic and social development, environmental sustainability and peace and security for all.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  2. “Such behavior, by a country seeking to become a member State of the European Union and supposedly seeking to maintain zero problems with its neighbours, cannot and should not be tolerated by the international community. I call on Turkey, before this Assembly, to cease its provocative behaviour. I repeat at the same time that in a reunified Cyprus the natural resources, including hydrocarbons, will be the common wealth of all Cypriots — both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike. The deadline set by the international community for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 is nearing. We have seen much progress thus far but much more remains to be done, as poverty and hunger persist.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  3. “Turkey’s alarming behaviour has been escalating since September 2011, when Cyprus undertook exploration activities in its exclusive economic zone, based on its rights under international law and particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Turkey has neither signed the aforementioned Convention nor abided by relevant customary international law. On the contrary, Turkey has carried out unilateral actions with respect to sea areas that are situated patently beyond any reasonable geographical or legal limit of its continental shelf and potential exclusive economic zone and that clearly fall within the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey is behaving as if the Republic of Cyprus did not exist on the map of the region.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  4. “We are grateful to the Secretary-General, who has willingly devoted his time and effort and invested in that process, despite the many challenges that this international Organization faces. I call on the Turkish Cypriot leadership to return to the table and to share our vision for a united and peaceful Cyprus. A solution to the Cyprus problem requires the support of all concerned parties. Turkey’s positive contribution and practical support for efforts on the part of the two communities to take the process forward is crucial. Yet Turkey has instead been pursuing “gunboat diplomacy”, with frequent displays of military strength around Cyprus.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  5. “For our part, we remain committed to Security Council resolution 2026 (2011), which provides that an accord on the internal aspects of the Cyprus issue must be achieved before convening an international conference on the international aspects of the matter with the consent of the two communities. We remain unchanged in our commitment to returning to the negotiating table; to continuing the negotiations in good faith; and to respecting in practice, not just in words, the agreed basis for the solution of a bicommunal and bizonal federation with a single sovereignty, citizenship and international personality and political equality, as defined in the relevant Security Council resolutions.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  6. “Talat, shared the vision of a solution, for the benefit of all Cypriots, to terminate the occupation and establish the conditions for lasting peace and security on the island. Despite the difficulties posed by the occupation, at the time we achieved convergence in a number of important areas. Since 2010, however, despite committing itself in the presence of the Secretary-General to continuing the talks from where they had left off, the current Turkish Cypriot leadership, under Mr. Eroğlu, has broken that joint commitment and has retracted from the agreement worked out with the previous Turkish Cypriot leader. In addition, since last March, the Turkish Cypriot leadership, with Turkey’s support, has abandoned the negotiations in response to the assumption of the presidency of the Council of the European Union by the Republic of Cyprus.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  7. “Since the assumption of my duties as President of the Republic of Cyprus in 2008, I took the initiative, in collaboration with the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, to end the stalemate and to start a new process of direct negotiations with the then leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, on the basis of a bicommunal and bizonal federation with a singly sovereignty, citizenship and international personality. We came to an agreement on those conditions with Mr. Talat. The process began under the auspices of the Secretary-General and is being facilitated by his good offices mission on the island. I believe that the Turkish Cypriot side, under Mr.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  8. “Yesterday, we supported the Declaration of the High-level Meeting on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels (resolution 67/1), affirming the sovereign equality of States and respect for their territorial integrity. Yet Turkey, after invading Cyprus in 1974, has continued to occupy the northern part of the island for the past 38 years, maintaining a strong military force and continuing the mass transfer of settlers from Turkey, pursuant to its policy for the demographic alteration of my country’s population. Turkey continues to violate the human rights and fundamental freedoms of tens of thousands of displaced persons, including usurping their property and violating the rights of the besieged and those who have lost their loved ones and continue to search for them.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  9. “President, wisely proposed upon your election, the “Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means” is the overarching purpose of the United Nations. It nevertheless also remains a timeless challenge. I can personally attest to that. Cyprus still faces the consequences of foreign intervention, namely, the Turkish invasion and occupation. More than one third of my country’s territory is still under the military occupation of Turkey, a fellow Member State of the Organization. Our participation at the United Nations requires engagement in the struggle for the protection of human rights. We share a commitment to the rule of law and are proponents of peace and security in the world.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  10. “In that respect, I join the rest of the international community in expressing our unequivocal support for the newly appointed Joint Special Representative for Syria, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, with the sincere hope that he will help bring the conflict to an end. Against that background of significant changes in the region, the Middle East peace process continues to be at an impasse. It is imperative to resume negotiations that can eventually lead to the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and the establishment of a free and independent Palestinian State on the basis of the pre-1967 borders. At the same time, the solution must address Israel’s legitimate security concerns. No viable solutions can be achieved in the absence of political dialogue. As you, Mr.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  11. “Increased violence in Syria continues, and the potential spillover effects to neighbouring countries are a great cause for concern. We strongly condemn the violence and the massacres of innocent civilians in Syria and call for their immediate cessation. There is undoubtedly a humanitarian crisis there that needs urgent attention. Recent consultations in the Security Council have emphasized that. The Republic of Cyprus stands ready to contribute to international efforts to manage the crisis, in particular as the fire is raging just outside our door. We remain committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and emphasize that the continued violence and its recent intensification underscore the need for a political solution.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  12. “The sovereignty of peoples was and remains a fundamental principle of the Organization and the functioning of States. As the international community, we should, in our opinion, address events there through that prism, respecting the right of each people to determine its own future. During that period, we witnessed transformations in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya. We stand by those peoples through that transition and encourage their efforts on the difficult road to consolidating democracy and the rule of law. We look forward to new structures that are inclusive of women and minorities and that create the conditions for the further participation of citizens in political life. It is with great sadness, however, that we are witnessing the loss of human lives in the region.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  13. “Allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session and to express my delegation’s support to you in discharging your duties I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, for the excellent way in which he conducted the work of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the work of the Organization (A/67/1). Owing to its geographical location and historical ties with its neighbouring countries, Cyprus has been closely following and has taken particular interest in the developments in the wider Middle East and North Africa over the past 18 months.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

  14. “We will succeed only if we realize that our future must be characterized by mutual respect, the fairer distribution and redistribution of global wealth, social progress and equality, and the prevalence of international law and human rights.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  15. “Special emphasis must be given to the fairer distribution of social goods, such as health and education, and to ending the market’s impunity and lack of regulation. Emphasis must also be given to dealing with social repercussions, such as unemployment, delinquency, crime and social marginalization — problems that cause social tensions and conflicts in a number of countries in Europe and the world. There can be no doubt that building prosperity and global stability on solid foundations cannot be accomplished without protecting the environment and our planet and promoting the sustainable use of its resources. In conclusion, I wish to stress that there is no way to deal with the challenges facing humankind today 11-50865 4 other than collective action.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  16. “We maintain our principled position for a free and independent Palestinian State, next to the State of Israel, within the 1967 borders. It has been 10 years since the attacks on the World Trade Center here in New York. Cyprus continues to support the collective efforts of the international community, based on international law, to eliminate international terrorism. We support the implementation of the necessary measures, including the adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Most countries in the world are still in the grip of the global financial crisis. This crisis proves that a new model of growth must prevail, focused on reducing social inequalities, eradicating poverty and safeguarding the rights of workers and all other people.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  17. “We believe that the only way to move forward and reach a solution as soon as possible is by upholding the commitments that both sides have undertaken in the presence of the Secretary- General. Negotiations should be carried out on a clear basis and without backtracking. The long-standing dispute in the Middle East is now characterized by frozen negotiations. It is vitally important that the peace process be resumed on the basis of the principles established by the international community in its resolutions. Cyprus supports the resumption of negotiations and calls on both sides to engage with honesty and goodwill, without creating new faits accomplis. Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve a peaceful, stable and secure future within a framework of two independent States.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  18. “He has referred specifically to Security Council resolution 1251 (1999), which provides that the solution to the Cyprus problem shall be a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as defined in the Security Council resolutions: a State with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality, excluding any form of union, in whole or in part, with any other country as well as any form of partition or secession. That is the basis that the United Nations continues to support. We are also grateful that the Secretary-General has asked for the reaffirmation of the convergences that were previously agreed on in the framework of the talks. As I have mentioned, the Turkish Cypriot leader has unfortunately retreated from previous agreements of fundamental importance.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  19. “We recall that the handover of the uninhabited area of Famagusta to United Nations administration, and the return of its lawful inhabitants, is called for in Security Council resolution 550 (1984), which Turkey refuses to implement. We would like to express our gratitude to the United Nations, under whose auspices the talks between the leaders of the two communities are being carried out. We thank the Security Council and the Secretary-General himself for his good offices. It is to the Secretary-General’s credit that during his recent meetings with the leaders of the two communities he persistently sought reaffirmation of the basis for the negotiations from both sides.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  20. “We will continue to work to strengthen cooperation and trust between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. A rapprochement of the two communities is integral to our policy. We are continuing with our initiatives aimed at creating the conditions conducive to a solution. We recall our proposal for the restitution of Famagusta — a European city, uninhabited since 1974 as a result of the Turkish occupation — to its lawful inhabitants, under United Nations administration. Our proposal also includes the use of the city’s port by Turkish Cypriots under EU supervision. The implementation of this proposal will significantly boost negotiations and increase trust between the two communities; that will also lead to the unfreezing of negotiations chapters in Turkey’s EU accession process.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  21. “We call on the Security Council, the Secretariat and the United Nations in general to impress upon the Turkish leadership that any threat to or violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, or any continuing violation of international and European law, will not be tolerated. We are fully committed to continuing to work towards a solution of the Cyprus problem, within the agreed framework and on the basis of the agreed process, as soon as possible. Considering that it is first and foremost the Cypriot people who are suffering from the continuing occupation, it is only natural for us to demonstrate goodwill and exert all our efforts to reach a just, viable and functional solution to the 3 11-50865 Cyprus problem and for the reunification of the State and our people.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  22. “From this rostrum, I wish to condemn that illegal act, which constitutes a provocation not only for the Republic of Cyprus but for the entire international community. Instead of adopting a constructive stance in the negotiations for a speedy solution to the Cyprus problem, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership are trying to create tension and new, illegal faits accomplis. Ankara’s latest threats directed at a European Union (EU) member State come at a time when Turkey is seeking to open new chapters in its EU accession negotiations. We wish to express our gratitude to the permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council, and to the European Union, for the clear position they have taken in defending the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  23. “I wish to reassure our Turkish Cypriot compatriots that, regardless of the circumstances, they would benefit from the possible discovery and extraction of hydrocarbons. Unfortunately, the effort of the Republic of Cyprus to exercise its sovereign right to exploit its marine wealth is met by threats by Turkey against Cyprus. Turkish naval manoeuvres in the region of Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone, where explorations are being carried out, are provocative and constitute a real danger of further complications in the region. At the same time, Turkey has continued its illegal actions by concluding an agreement with the illegal regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus in order to pursue exploration within the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  24. “This was preceded by agreements to delimit the exclusive economic zone with neighbouring countries, always within the framework of international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the Republic of Cyprus has ratified. We anticipate that this effort will contribute to the discovery of new energy resources, particularly for Europe, and of course for the shared benefit of our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike. We believe that the possible discovery and extraction of hydrocarbons will constitute yet another strong motive for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to expedite a just, functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, so that both communities can enjoy the natural wealth of our country in conditions of peace, security and prosperity.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  25. “Turkey must fulfil its obligations, which stem from the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, to allow exhumations in military areas and open the archives of its army and of other services, in order to determine the fate of the missing persons. During the first two years of direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities, convergences have been reached on various aspects of the Cyprus problem. I regret to note that, lately in particular, the Turkish Cypriot side is backtracking, even from convergences that had been found. This change in the stance of the Turkish Cypriot leadership draws on the recent negative and provocative policy of Turkey in the region. In recent years, the Republic of Cyprus has started a process for the exploration and potential extraction of hydrocarbons within its exclusive economic zone.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  26. “The negotiations are Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned, as was agreed with the Secretary-General, excluding any form of arbitration or artificial time frames. This was agreed, bearing in mind recent negative experiences that resulted from unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem. We aim to achieve a mutually agreed solution, terminating the occupation and the illegal colonization by Turkey with settlers in the occupied part of Cyprus. We seek a solution that reunifies the country and its people and creates conditions of lasting peace and security on the island. An important aspect of the Cyprus problem, of a humanitarian nature, is the issue of missing persons. This issue must be settled regardless of the developments in the negotiations.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  27. “Since September 2008, we have undertaken a renewed effort to solve the Cyprus problem, under the auspices of the United Nations, through direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities, upon our initiative. This effort is focused on the evolution of the unitary State into a federal one, with two federated units with political equality as defined in relevant Security Council resolutions — one State, with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality. This basis was reaffirmed by the leaders of the two communities in 2008, when they agreed on the resumption of negotiations. 11-50865 2 At the same time, the negotiating process, under the auspices of the United Nations, was agreed.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  28. “We, the international community, should offer this support while respecting the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Member States of the United Nations. The Republic of Cyprus has experienced violence, and we still suffer from its consequences. Cyprus is still suffering the effects of the illegal Turkish invasion of 1974 and the ongoing occupation. The Cyprus problem is first and foremost a problem of invasion and occupation and the violation of international law and of the human rights of Cypriot citizens. Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, our goal has been a peaceful resolution of the problem through negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities under the auspices of the Secretary-General and on the basis of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on Cyprus.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)

  29. “I congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I express the support of the Cypriot delegation, and I wish you every success in fulfilling your duties. Over the past six months we have witnessed historic changes in the wider region of the Middle East and North Africa, a region which is very close to Cyprus. A popular movement has developed in this region with the aim of implementing fundamental democratic reforms. The reforms are a sovereign affair for the peoples. We hope that they are achieved peacefully, without bloodshed and for the benefit of the peoples themselves, through political dialogue and with the support of the international community.”

    2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)