YouSaid · the spoken record

Spyros Kyprianou

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS SPYROS KYPRIANOU

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169

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1977-09-24

most recent

1987-09-24

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4

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un-general-debate

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1. “And we are, I believe similarly justified in strongly urging concrete action by the United Nations to obtain the implementation of its own resolutions. 52. The present situation should not be allowed to go on indefinitely. Turkey has been flagrantly defying the resolutions of the United Nations. Chapter VII of the Charter provides the answer, and it was pointed out also by the recent Conference of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Belgrade, that the Security Council must start considering action in conformity with its provisions and especially Chapter VII, which would include sanctions /see A/33/206, annex I, para. 77]. There is no justification for reluctance to point firmly to the aggressor and compel him to withdraw his troops from Cyprus. Why are the Turkish troops still in Cyprus?”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

2. “That would be good not only for Cyprus but also for the United Nations, for it would revive, the trust which all Member States should have in the ability of the Organization to deal with situations brought to it on the basis of the principles of the Charter, and would thus justify the hope which small countries, especially, have always reposed in the United Nations. 51. Cyprus has always been devoted to the principles of the United Nations, in which it has placed its faith. But four years after the aggression and the violation of these principles, we are, I believe, justified in expressing our deep disappointment at the lack of any progress towards the implementation of the United Nations resolutions.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

3. “49.- We are full of goodwill and are anxious for an early and peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem. But we are firm in our position that it must be just and viable, in compliance with the resolutions of the United Nations, which contain all the necessary elements and prerequisites for such a solution, in the true interests of the people of Cyprus as a whole, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. But Turkey does not seem to be interested in that, and consistently refuses to comply with those resolutions. 50. It is high time that the United Nations, and in particular the Security Council, considered very seriously what steps should be taken in order to implement-its own resolutions. It is high time for the Security Council to live up to its responsibilities and to meet the test and the challenge.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

4. “Those who want a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem cannot but see the merit of this proposal, because its implementation would remove all the obstacles to a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem. 48. I wish today to put forward another proposal, in addition to the previous one: if it is considered necessary, we would be willing to accept the establishment of any machinery of international supervision, through the United. Nations, for the protection of the human and political rights of all citizens of Cyprus within the context of a just solution based on the resolutions of the United Nations. A similar proposal was put forward some years ago by the late President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios, in his desire to provide additional guarantees for the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

5. “The stumbling block to a solution to the Cyprus problem is the presence of the occupation troops. 47. During the special session on disarmament, I put forward a proposal,5, which I should like to repeat today. I propose that the Republic of Cyprus be completely demilitarized: that all foreign troops be withdrawn from Cyprus, and that all Cypriots, whether Greek Cypriots or Turkish Cypriots, be disarmed and that the security of the citizens of Cyprus be the responsibility of a mixed Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot police force under the supervision, guidance and control of a strong international police force of the United Nations for as long as necessary.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

6. “There is a common desire on the part of both the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots for relief from military occupation and for reunification; for deep in their hearts they both feel that security, prosperity and happiness lie in unity and co-operation, and not in cultivated separateness and adversity imposed from outside by military force. There can be little progress towards co-operation and peace unless opportunities for trust through association are freely offered to the ordinary people from both sides. Both such opportunities are denied them by the presence of the occupying forces. 46. There can be no lasting peace in Cyprus and there can be no happiness for its people unless the occupation forces are withdrawn and unless Cyprus is reunited-and unless t&« people of Cyprus also are reunited.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

7. “And, in this context, I must stress that when I speak of the human rights of the people of Cyprus, I speak of the Human rights of the Turkish Cypriots as well, who now ", conditions of poverty, misery and terrorism, and mercy of the Turkish troops and the settlers from l—key. When I speak of justice and freedom for Cyprus, I speak on behalf of the entire people of Cyprus, whether they are Greek or Turkish or Maronite or Armenian or Latin. 45. It is no longer a secret that the Turkish Cypriots-with the exception of a few favoured by the invader, as is usually the case-are fed up with the present situation, and we know very well how they feel and what they want: they want exactly the same thing that the Greek Cypriots want.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

8. “How can the intercommunal talks-or indeed any other talks-succeed as long as Turkey imposes its will on the Turkish Cypriots through the presence of its troops, and as long as Turkey pursues its partitionist policy? 44. All the resolutions of the United Nations, both of the General Assembly and of the Security Council, have been completely disregarded by Turkey and we have come once again this year to the United Nations to protest this continued violation of the Charter and of the resolutions of the United Nations. The human rights of the people of Cyprus are being continuously violated.”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

9. “Who would be more anxious to see an end to the tragedy than the victim of the aggression? But despite all our efforts and all our sincere endeavours in the course of the last four years, there has been no progress whatsoever. And there are still no signs of any change in the attitude of 43. Turkey, under whose military control the Turkish Cypriot leadership operates, does not aim at ensuring the independence and territorial integrity and unity of Cyprus as a sovereign and non-aligned State Member of the United Nations, but at its demolition and dismemberment. The two sides, therefore, are at cross-purposes. How can negotiations on such premises succeed?”

   1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

10. “We would have been entitled to refuse any negotiations until the occupation troops were withdrawn from Cyprus in conformity with the United Nations resolutions. We would have been entitled to refuse to talk to anyone until the United Nations resolutions were implemented. We would have been entitled to refuse to do anything at all until at least paragraph 2 of resolution 3212 (X?,IX), calling for the. withdrawal of the foreign troops from Cyprus, was implemented. But in a spirit of goodwill, we did not do so. On the contrary, we went well out of our way in our earnest desire to see a speedy settlement to the Cyprus problem, because who would really be more anxious to see a speedy settlement to the Cyprus problem than the Government of. Cyprus and the people of Cyprus?”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

11. “In fact, during the past four years and in the course of the intercommunal talks under the auspices of the Secretary- General, the Greek Cypriot side has tried hard, but in vain, to secure meaningful negotiations. It has proved impossible because of the intransigence of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership. Negotiations between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots cannot really be freely conducted, as experience has demonstrated, while .. the occupation troops remain on the island. This has the effect of making the negotiations nugatory, as has been confirmed by the official proposals prepared in Ankara and submitted to the Secretary-General in April 1978. These proposals render manifest the design of partition and the concern of the. aggressor to legalize the faits accomplis created by the. aggression.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

12. “Four years are enough to establish beyond any doubt that the intentions of Turkey were, and still are, the destruction of the unity of Cyprus and the changing of its demographic structure for the purpose of promoting partition; and this was officially confirmed by the partition proposals of Ankara in April 1978. 41. During all those four years various efforts have been made to find a just and viable solution to the problem of Cyprus in conformity with resolution 3212'(XXIX) and subsequent General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. It is argued that the Cyprus problem can be solved only through negotiations; and some go further and allege that the Government of Cyprus is not interested in negotiations and that it is not in a hurry for a solution. All such assertions are wrong and absurd, to say the least. 42.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

13. “Four years have elapsed since the General Assembly of the United Nations by its unanimously adopted resolution 3212 (XXIX) demanded the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Republic of Cyprus and called for the return of the refugees in conditions of safety to the homes from which they had been brutally uprooted. That resolution, which also called for the cessation of the intervention- in Cyprus and for respect for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, was unanimously endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 365 (l974). I suppose that four years are enough to prove that the intentions of Turkey in carrying out its aggression against Cyprus in 1974 Cyprus had nothing to do with the restoration of constitutional order.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

14. “Repeated resolutions of the Security Council calling for the cessation of the armed intervention were ignored by Turkey. The atrocities that were committed by the Turkish troops in that infamous "peace operation" are beyond description. Those who could have prevented that crime did not do so, nor did they do anything to stop it. 39. Four years have elapsed since then, but nothing at all has been done to restore justice to the suffering people of Cyprus. In the meantime, Turkey-as part, I suppose, of this so-called "peace operation" supposedly intended to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots-implanted settlers from the Anatolian depths of Turkey in massive numbers in the areas under the occupation of the Turkish troops. Four years have elapsed, and we are still trying to find a way to trace the fate of 2,000 missing persons. 40.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

15. “Cyprus was invaded by Turkey and as a result thousands of people lost their lives, 40 per cent of its territory was occupied, and one third of the population of Cyprus became refugees in their own country having been uprooted from their ancestral homes and lands by the invading forces of the Turkish Attila. 38.. That aggression was described at the time by the Prime Minister of Turkey as a "peace operation" aiming, allegedly, at the restoration of constitutional order. That most peculiar "peace operation" was carried out with the use of the most brutal methods-cold-blooded murder, rape, robbery' and destruction. Forty thousand troops were used, with heavy artillery, and for several days the Turkish air force bombed the cities and villages of Cyprus with napalm bombs.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

16. “I should similarly like to express our appreciation to all countries that participate with military or police contingents in the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus, as well as to those which, through financial contributions, make its functioning possible. 37. As was stated by the Secretary-General, one of the most serious problems in the world today is that of Cyprus. No one can disagree with him. Four years have elapsed since the summer of 1974 when an unprecedented crime was committed at the expense of my country, a small, defenceless and non-aligned independent State, a Member on an equal footing with others of the United Nations.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

17. “Likewise, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination [resolution 2106 A (XX)] provides the necessary machinery for the purpose of the application of its provisions in the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination established under article 8 of its provisions. It is noteworthy that decisions of that Committee relate to the situation in Cyprus in 1974. 36. Before I deal with the Cyprus problem, I wish to express to the Secretary-General our deep appreciation of the keen interest he has been showing and for his efforts to find a just solution to our problem. Our sincere thanks go also to his collaborators in Cyprus and in the Secretariat.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

18. “And yet we still see a flagrant denial of human rights and a wanton and declared policy of racial discrimination practised in a number of cases. 33. What is needed, therefore, is for the international community not simply to theorize about human values and fundamental freedoms but rather to concentrate on ways and means of implementing them. 34. That is why we .are gratified that, at long last, the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have become binding through the entry into force of the two International Covenants on Human Rights and the establishment of the Human Rights Committee last year. 35.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

19. “During the last 30 years a comprehensive series of conventions, declarations and recommendations have been developed under the guidance of the United Nations system.3 Thus, human rights standards have been set end the fundamental freedoms of individuals and of peoples have been established in detail, foremost among them the right of peoples to self-determination and to economic and social advancement in greater freedom. Also, the right of every individual to freedom of movement in his own country, his right to own property and his right to choose his place of residence were irrevocably established. 32. The separation of ethnic groups on the basis of race was deplored, and racial discrimination and the theory of racial superiority were declared scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and politically dangerous.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

20. “As regards Namibia, we express the hope that the Pretoria regime will comply with all Security Council resolutions and no longer impede progress towards Namibia's independence. Cyprus stands firm in its solidarity with the South West Africa People's Organization SWAPO, the legitimate representative of the Namibian people. 30. We unreservedly condemn the policy of apartheid practised in South Africa; and we have, in this connexion, consistently advocated more determined action by the Security Council. 31. The current session takes place in the course of a year that marks the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

21. “We fully support the efforts of the Government of Lebanon assisted by UNIFIL to restore its sovereign rights over ill its territory. The territorial integrity of Lebanon must be safeguarded at all costs. 28.. Cyprus has been consistent in its full support of the right of the people of Zimbabwe to determine their destiny in accordance with their sovereign will. Cyprus will continue to observe strictly the sanctions imposed by the Security Council against the Salisbury regime until genuine majority rule and true independence have been reached with the agreement of the leaders of the Patriotic Front. I wish also to reiterate our solidarity with the fellow non-aligned countries of Zambia and Mozambique in their determined resistance against repeated acts of aggression by the Smith forces. 29.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

22. “All three have common elements, and in all of them the non-implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions has rendered them a threat to inters national peace and security. 26. With regard to the very sensitive region of the Middle East, we reiterate our firm support for the objective of a just and lasting settlement of all aspects of the Middle East conflict within the framework of the relevant United Nations resolutions. The Palestine Liberation Organization should fully participate in the efforts aimed at a solution based on the United Nations resolutions and on the establishment of a Palestinian homeland, as well as on recognition of the rights of all States in the region to exist in peace and within recognized boundaries. 27. The sad events in Lebanon give rise to concern and anxiety.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

23. “Turning to another subject, I wish to express and stress the importance we attach to the successful outcome of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, where for five years a systematic effort has been under way to arrive at a comprehensive and generally acceptable convention. Such a convention should include adequate provisions, on the basis of just and objective criteria, regarding the delimitation of the maritime zones between States the coasts of which are opposite or adjacent to each other, as well as an effective system for the peaceful settlement of disputes arising there from. 25. As the Secretary-General has pointed out in his report on the work of the Organization, the main, political problems regarding which the Organization has specific responsibilities are the Middle East, southern Africa and Cyprus.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

24. “Yet it should also be borne in mind that peace-keeping operations exist not in a political or legal vacuum but in the context of the Security Council resolutions, the proper implementation of which—by the parties concerned in the first place, and by the Security Council through enforcement action in the last resort if one or more of the parties is unwilling— would indeed radically solve the problem on the basis of such resolutions and the Charter, thus rendering such operations no longer necessary. It is, therefore, in the failure of the Security Council to exercise its responsibilities under the Charter and to take the necessary steps to implement its own resolutions that the reason for this anomaly exists. 24.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

25. “The complaint is sometimes voiced—with a considerable degree of justification—that such operations can be counter-productive in the sense that by containing existing conflicts they tend to remove the incentive for the radical solution of the problems which necessitated those operations, with the result that peace-keeping operations of the kind, instead of being temporary palliatives, are converted into near-permanent features of indefinite duration.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

26. “Peace-keeping by the United Nations, in the form in which it has repeatedly been carried out in recent years -- that is, based on the consent of the Government of the State concerned, though this is not expressly provided for in the Charter—has come time and again to provide a temporary answer to situations in which containment is necessary while efforts are under way to solve the underlying causes of such a situation. 23.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

27. “We firmly believe that increased co-operation between developing countries should be encouraged as it will not only stimulate and foster collective self-reliance but also positively contribute, to the establishment of the much sought after new international economic order. For our part, in our modest way we have taken concrete steps to promote technical co-operation with neighbouring and other countries through agreements providing the framework for and encouragement of such co-operation. 22.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

28. “Turning now to the crucial issue of the new international economic order, I would like to observe that the existing inequality between the rich and the poor is constantly growing and has become another source of tension in the world. As a developing country we have long advocated the adoption of a new and fairer international economic order which, seen in the long term, is bound to benefit the developed countries as well. It is very worrying that the ongoing North-South dialogue has so far yielded no significant results. There is an evident need for a reappraisal of the whole situation and for a reorientation not only of specific policies but also of fundamental thinking.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

29. “It is very comforting that in its Declaration, the Conference of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non-Aligned Countries, referring to the arms race as a major threat to the survival of mankind, emphatically stated: "This situation is mainly due to the lack of adequate international security as provided for in the United Nations Charter, and the failure to replace the outdated concept of balance of power as a means of security " [See A/331206, para. 147.] With reference to the strengthening of the role and effectiveness of the United Nations, strong emphasis is given in the Declaration to the need to apply "a system of international security as expressly provided in Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations" [ibid., para. 161]. 21.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

30. “In this connexion I wish to reiterate the proposal of my country, made at the special session, for the establishment of an organ of the General Assembly for the peaceful settlement of international disputes that would give meaning and substance to the provisions of Article 33 of the Charter. 19. A positive contribution to the effort to establish international security is the study prepared by the Centre for Disarmament on the interrelationship between disarmament and international security,2 which was presented by the Secretary-General to the special session by virtue of a consensus General Assembly resolution [resolution 32187 C] introduced by Cyprus and sponsored by it and 10 other non-aligned countries. 20.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

31. “It has almost imperceptivity emerged from the special session that there can hardly be any prospect of halting the arms race as long as the security of nations continues to be dependent upon the anachronistic concept of balance of power or, rather, "balance of weapons". The resulting competition to attain or maintain such a balance inevitably spurs on the arms race and leads to its rapid and continuing escalation, as experience for over three decades has amply demonstrated. 17. The vital prerequisite for the cessation of the arms race, allowing progress towards disarmament, is to provide for the security of nations otherwise than through the balance of weapons. Such alternative security can come only from the effective application of the relevant provisions of the Charter. 18.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

32. “The convening for the first time of a special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament demonstrates the frustrations involved in all disarmament efforts. The tenth special session, although it did not fully live up to the aspirations of humanity, was nevertheless a major event in our world Organization. It focused world public opinion as never before on the primary need to deal effectively with the arms race. In the words of paragraph 18 of the Final Document of that session [resolution S-10/2] "we must halt the arms race and proceed to disarmament or face annihilation." 16. The special session laid the foundation for an international disarmament strategy which, through the coordinated effort provided for in the Final Document, aims at general and complete disarmament, thus halting the arms race.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

33. “If they could be translated into practical action—and it is up to the States Members of this Organization to do so-they would provide the solution to nearly all the problems facing the world today, whether they be problems of international peace and security, problems of economic relations between States, problems of human rights or problems of international law. It is only through the faithful application in practice of the letter and the spirit of the Charter that the world can be made safer, more just and more peaceful than it is today. 14. What adds significantly to the importance of international security through the United Nations is that it is closely linked and interdependent with the burning world problem of the arms race and disarmament. 15.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

34. “The report emphasizes the fundamental truth that: "The United Nations was intended, among other things, to be the guarantor of justice and peace for all nations, and most especially for defenceless or small countries which would otherwise have no recourse in a world dominated exclusively by power politics." [Ibid.] The Secretary-General also rightly stresses that: "We must strive to reach a point where the system and the principles of the Charter, and not the rivalries of great Powers, are the decisive and dominant elements of the international order." [Ibid.] 13. Those observations are indeed very significant.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

35. “It is high time that the crucial issue of the implementation of Security Council resolutions should, at an appropriate time, be placed on the agenda of the General Assembly for careful consideration and remedial action. I would go a step further and formally propose the holding of a special session of the General Assembly to deal with this vital issue alone. 12.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

36. “[with the result that of late] some small States .no longer turn to the United Nations as the protector of their sovereign rights." 10. The Secretary-General warns of the seriousness of such developments and adds that: "A more reliable and generally accepted international security system [through the United Nations] is the only logical answer to this fundamental problem." [Ibid.] 11. It thus becomes clear that the mere adoption, often unanimously, of resolutions by the General Assembly and the Security Council without their implementation will in fact have the effect of discrediting the Organization and of encouraging the party in default to continue its attitude of contemptuous disregard towards those resolutions.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

37. “To that end, determined steps must be taken to bring into operation the provisions in Chapter VII of the Charter for the effective implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council, thereby giving effect to' its decisions and restoring the authority of the United Nations. 9. In the face of a sharply deteriorating world situation the Secretary-General in his most recent reports has dealt with this problem in a bold and pragmatic manner. In a reference to the non-implementation, of the Security Council's resolutions, this year's report pointedly notes that this situation has . . tended to downgrade the prestige and effectiveness of the Organization... as the ... guarantor of international peace and security...”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

38. “Its review of world developments and its assessment of situations should be given full consideration and attention as a basic premise for discussion in the general debate. The need to make the United Nations central in the policies of Governments is felt more impressively than ever in these turbulent times. 7. Increasing manifestations of insecurity and near anarchy at the international level threaten the very foundations of human society. To arrest those ominous trends, recourse to the system of legal order and security prescribed in the Charter is becoming a compelling necessity. 8.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

39. “I wish to express our very warm welcome to the delegation of Solomon Islands, a fellow Commonwealth member which has joined the Organization at this session as its one hundred and fiftieth Member and with which we look forward to developing close ties of co-operation and friendship. 5. When in the general debate we review global problems and international conflicts with reference to the relevant role of the United Nations it is, I believe, our common purpose to contribute to the effective maintenance of international peace and security through the Organization. 6. In that sense, the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization [A/33/1J is a most significant document.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

40. “2. It gives me great pleasure to extend to you, Sir, warm congratulations on your unanimous election as President of the thirty-third session of the General Assembly. Your country, Colombia, with which my country maintains very friendly relations, has always played a. prominent role in international affairs. Your distinguished record as a statesman gives us the assurance that under your experienced leadership the present session, which has so many important items on its agenda, will be guided constructively and skilfully to a successful conclusion. 3. I should like also to pay a tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Lazar Mojsov, for the excellent manner in which he discharged his difficult duties through the regular session of the Assembly last year and the three special sessions this year. 4.”

    1978-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 33 (1978)

41. “In our interdependent world, it is in the common interest of all Member States, large and small, to strengthen the efficacy and the role of the United Nations as an instrument-the only universal instrument we have-for the achievement of peace, co-operation and progress in the world. The United Nations has ushered in a new era in international affairs by providing objective standards of behaviour based on principles and by democratizing international relations. Its failures are primarily those of its Members and not of the Organization itself. It is up to the Member States to do what they can in order to strengthen the United Nations and render it the dynamic instrument for peace and progress that it ought to be and can be.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

42. “I have come to this Assembly to seek justice for Cyprus and its people, on the respect for the principles of the Charter, of international law and of the human rights of all Cypriots. I have come here to seek justice for the 200,000 refugees who, for more than three years, are forcibly being kept away from their ancestral homes and lands, for all those who are being deprived of their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, for the families of the over 2,000 missing persons whose fate is unknown. For these persons and on behalf of their families who live in the agony of uncertainty, I make a special plea that every possible effort be made to ascertain the fate of these missing persons. 40.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

43. “I believe that the time has come for the General Assembly to impress upon the Security Council the necessity of taking as a matter of urgency all measures warranted by the situation in order to bring about the long overdue implementation of the Council's resolutions on Cyprus and thereby put an end to the long suffering of the people of Cyprus, Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike. 38. Failure of the United Nations expeditiously to promote the implementation of its * resolutions might be interpreted as tolerance or passive acceptance of Turkey's aggression and continuing military occupation of territory of the Republic of Cyprus and would run counter to the basic tenets of the Organization. 39.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

44. “Similarly, we welcome any initiative aiming at the implementation of those provisions of the United Nations resolutions which refer to die external and international aspects of the Cyprus problem. With this in view we have consistently been supporting the proposal for the convening of a wide international conference on Cyprus, which we believe could make a positive contribution to the solution of the Cyprus problem. 36. The present situation in Cyprus is fraught with grave danger and, if allowed to continue unchecked, could have very serious implications for peace and security in the sensitive region of the eastern Mediterranean. 37. The solution of the problem of Cyprus revolves around the effective implementation of the decisions and resolutions of the United Nations.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

45. “We have accordingly been supporting the commendable efforts of the Secretary-General, Mr. Waldheim, to secure meaningful and substantive negotiations. These efforts, however, have so far produced no results because of the negative attitude of the Turkish side, which has been persistently refusing to submit concrete and comprehensive proposals to the subjects under negotiation, unlike the Greek Cypriot side. 34. No problem is impossible to solve if substantive talks are conducted with goodwill and a common objective. This has been and continues to be our view. It is in this spirit that we welcome any initiative from any country which aims at assisting the Secretary-General in his difficult task, as long as such initiatives are kept within the framework of the United Nations. 35.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

46. “All rounds of talks, despite the commendable efforts of the Secretary-General, have, two and a half years after their commencement, failed to produce any positive results due to the attitude of Turkey, which, by dictating the Turkish Cypriot position in the negotiations, has never allowed a constructive and meaningful dialogue to develop. And, in consequence, the negotiations were not freely conducted, as provided for in the relevant United Nations resolutions. Thus, the only purpose the talks have so far served has been to enable Turkey to cover up its faits accomplis by a pretence of negotiation to consolidate its military stranglehold over the occupied area. 33. We have all along held the view that the process of the intercommunal talks is the best available means for the settlement of the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

47. “Recent developments regarding the attempts at colonization even of the new Famagusta area, which since 1974 had been sealed off pending arrangements for the return of its legitimate inhabitants to their homes and properties, further aggravated the already serious situation in the island. The Security Council, as recently as last month, by its resolution 414 (1977), disapproved of this action and expressed concern at the situation thereby created in the new Famagusta area. It further called once again for the urgent implementation of its resolution 365 (1974), endorsing General Assembly resolution 3212 (XXIX). 32. I now turn to the intercommunal talks which, as provided in the resolutions, have as their subject-matter the internal aspect of the problem.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

48. “The General Assembly, recognizing the grave threat against the demographic character of Cyprus resulting from the expulsions and the colonization called, by its resolution 3395 (XXX), for the cessation of any action aimed at changing the demographic structure of Cyprus. 30. Last year, as a result of the continuing refusal of Turkey to comply with the aforementioned United Nations resolutions on Cyprus, the General Assembly, considering thus that the Cyprus crisis constitutes a threat to international peace and security, adopted resolution 31/12, by which it expressed the hope that the Security Council would consider appropriate steps for the implementation of its unanimous resolution 365 (1974). 31.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

49. “However, Ankara's policy of sowing intercommunal discord and divisiveness and promoting, through the oppressive presence of its army of occupation, its partitionist designs against Cyprus continued unabated, thus necessitating the adoption of new resolutions by the General Assembly and the Security Council. 29. Turkey, in violation of international law, and of its commitments under the Geneva Conventions of 1949, proceeded further to trample underfoot the United Nations resolutions by further expulsions of indigenous Greek Cypriots from the occupied area, thus raising the number of the refugees to 200,000, namely, one third of the total population of Cyprus. Worse still, in their usurped homes and properties it settled colonizing populations massively imported from Turkey.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)

50. “Thus, Turkey, unrestrained by any effective measures, found it possible to pursue a policy of faits accomplis, and, using the Turkish Cypriot leadership as an instrument, proceeded to the purported setting up of a so-called Federated Turkish State of Cyprus. 28. The Security Council, in its resolution 367(1975), rejected this unilateral action, reaffirmed its earlier resolution, and expressed its concern over all unilateral actions compromising the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions. The Security Council further called on the parties concerned to refrain from any action which might prejudice the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-alignment of the Republic of Cyprus as well as from any attempt at partition of the island or its unification with any other country.”

    1977-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 32 (1977)