YouSaid · the spoken record

Tassos Papadopoulos

lines on the record: 65
first: 2003-09-24
most recent: 2007-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Equally important, we regard the preservation of our interests and those of Turkey in our region not as mutually exclusive but as complementary and interdependent. Our vision must be to bequeath to future generations the legacy of friendship, cooperation and good neighbourliness. We are afforded the opportunity to avoid eternalizing this feud and we should seize it.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“A prime example of those tactics has been the ongoing campaign to deceivingly suggest that the Turkish Cypriot community is economically disadvantaged because it is isolated. Considering that the per capita income of Turkish Cypriots has doubled over the past three years and that they now enjoy the 59th highest per capita income in the world, one can easily detect the political agenda behind the attempt to link their economic development with the fate of the illegal regime. For years now, we have been advocating that the road to solving the Cyprus problem is not via the exclusion of the inconvenient truths that underlie it or the bypassing of principles that are, for us, the guarantee that the settlement of the Cyprus problem will continue to be valid and relevant in a constantly changing world.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“At the same time, Turkey pursues its own strategic objectives in Cyprus at the expense of reunification and is only guided by its own interests and not those of Turkish Cypriots. It has ascertained over the years that the occupied part of Cyprus would come completely under its political, economic and military control. We regret to note that Turkey has been trying to involve our friends and neighbours in this ill- conceived effort. Underpinning this strategy is the intent to legitimize the fait accompli of the invasion and attribute political status to its results. Such a strategy could not have been achieved without presenting the Turkish Cypriot community as victims, not of Turkish aggression as really is the case, but of Greek Cypriots for resisting this fait accompli.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“This was recently confirmed by explicit statements of its leadership at the highest political level referring to a settlement based on two peoples, two democracies, two States and two religions. That is an arrangement we shall never accept. Over the past year, we have also witnessed repeated attempts by the occupying Power to illegally explore my country's natural resources and to sabotage our sovereign right to explore and manage these resources. It has carried out unauthorized demolitions of Greek Cypriot houses in the areas it occupies and it continues to destroy cultural and religious heritage. It has intensified the large-scale illegal exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied part of Cyprus, not least because this will skew the terms of a future settlement.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The element of time is very important; however, only progress through preparing the ground can bring us sooner to an agreed settlement. With a view to achieving progress, I submitted to the Secretary-General certain ideas and proposals that I hope will contribute to this end. Turkey's intentions are not only manifest in the non-resolution of the Cyprus problem after all these years. They transpire from all its actions: the non-normalization of its relations with Cyprus as a first step to becoming a European partner, the non-removal of any of its troops from Cypriot soil as a confidence- building measure, the intensification of efforts to project a secessionist entity in Cyprus and its systematic violations of our sovereign air and maritime space and of the military status quo.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“For our part, we remain fully committed, as it is clear to us that we cannot sustain the status quo and must insist on a meaningful and forward-looking process that can elicit concrete results, leading to the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, within the true meaning of each of these terms. The only process that can take us forward is the one established by the 8 July agreed process I have just outlined. This process is expected to test suggestions, ideas and alternatives at the expert level, adequately prepare the ground and submit to the leaders, any points that warrant political compromise or agreement. Although the last meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader did not signal the beginning of the implementation of the Agreement as we had hoped, we will not rescind our efforts to put the 8 July process back on track.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The surprising laboriousness in the implementation of this carefully crafted Agreement â€” the purpose of which is to prepare the ground for subsequent negotiation and to lead to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue â€” is not inherent to this particular process. We should therefore concentrate on implementing what has been agreed. The pace can only be determined by progress, with full-fledged negotiations as needed. Sidelining or circumventing stages of the process will lead, not to expediting the solution, but to confirming the deadlock. So, what does the future hold for the mission of good offices entrusted to the Secretary-General by the Security Council?”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The Cyprus problem is caused by not bad community relations but by outside intervention. Persisting, therefore, with a constitutional arrangement, set up primarily on the basis of ethnic origin â€” without due respect for the overriding democratic principles of liberty and equality of all citizens â€” insults the dignity of those citizens and dooms the viability of any settlement. We currently find ourselves engaged in an effort to implement a process consisting of an Agreement concluded and signed by the two communities in Cyprus on 8 July 2006 and complemented by letters exchanged between the leaders of the two communities and the then Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the United Nations, Mr. Gambari, on 15 November 2006.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“They have not been tailored to tackling the roots of the problem or even to the problem itself; rather, their centre of gravity seems to have been the kind of solution the occupying Power would want or could, at least, tolerate. In fact, it is clear through the conduct and negotiating positions of Turkey that it has not contemplated a solution outside the boundaries of the status quo. Fourthly, shifting the problem from the context of its origin â€” that of invasion and occupation â€” has led to a problem-solving methodology that divides the distance that separates the parties, caving in to the demands of the more powerful party and making success conditional upon the otherâ€™s magnanimity. Fifthly, the occupying Power has insisted on discussing elements that form neither part of the genesis of the problem nor part of its solution.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Instead, Turkey has used its dominant position to command trade-offs of all sorts. Secondly, Turkeyâ€™s long-standing objective of gaining political and military control over Cyprus remains unchanged. Despite declaratory remarks of willingness to solve the Cyprus problem, its actions confirm its dedication to its ab initio pursuit of controlling Cyprus by partitioning it geographically into two ethnically clean parts, with Turkey securing rights of suzerainty and the â€œrightâ€ of intervention in Cyprus. Thirdly, efforts to solve the Cyprus problem have not been filtered through a system of values and norms of international law.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Cyprus has survived the most difficult circumstances created by the many facets of the problem and has primarily insisted on one thing vis-Ã - vis the involvement of the United Nations in its resolution: the full application of the values on which this Organization was founded and which it has worked so hard to promote. So, why does this problem persist after so many years during which the national, regional and international political landscape has undergone dramatic changes? Certainly, it is neither for lack of political will nor for lack of effort on our part. Rather, the occupying Power has not displayed any motivation to solve the problem, and this has only been reinforced by the Annan plan, which satisfied all Turkish desiderata, thus being readily accepted by the Turkish side.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Let me now turn to an issue with which the United Nations has had a long involvement, an issue which we aim to keep as one of the Organizationâ€™s priorities until it has been definitively resolved within the framework set out in the numerous relevant resolutions of this Organization. For many years, the United Nations has engaged in strenuous efforts aimed at brokering a solution. It may be that the task has proved so very arduous, because the Cyprus issue, when stripped of the niceties of diplomatic terminology, is a question of foreign aggression and continuing occupation of a significant part of a sovereign State, entailing enclaved and missing persons, refugees and massive and enduring violations of human rights.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In deciding and enforcing our response, we see no plausible framework other than the United Nations. Aside from its unique position to address the issue because of its global character, its success in confronting a threat with such massive potential as climate change will be a litmus test for the relevance of our Organization. One could say that climate change is the modern-day equivalent of the security threat that necessitated the establishment of the Organization in 1945. It remains to be seen whether our system can be as effective in dealing with contemporary threats to humanity as it has been in dealing with more traditional security deficits.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In the face of the quasi- irreversibility of the damage done thus far, we should at least put the necessary focus, resources and energy into curbing the galloping deterioration of the situation and urgently decide the first steps to protect our societies from large-scale future climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has suggested a number of technological and policy instruments that are available to Governments for mitigation action. We stand ready to support the adoption of a number of sectoral policies and measures that the Panel has deemed effective, such as the use of renewable energy, the use of technology to produce energy cleanly, improved waste and waste-water management and the use of alternative technologies in exploiting human systems like forestry, fisheries and agriculture.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Among the aspects of the Organization's work that are of particular interest, we note the disconcerting developments in the Middle East, the modest progress made with respect to the development agenda, the effects of the Organization's involvement in different crises, particularly in Africa, and the increasing impact of its humanitarian contribution. To date, we have ample scientific data and other overwhelmingly convincing evidence suggesting that world climate is changing to the detriment of human and ecological systems as a result of human activity. Thus, our response to this alarming phenomenon should be the focus of our debate rather than the extent to which it exists. We believe that it is important for us to define, from the outset, the scope of the response we are seeking to formulate.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Before I begin, I wish to indicate that my statement is complementary to that delivered yesterday (see ) by the Prime Minister of Portugal on behalf of the European Union, to which Cyprus fully subscribes. As this is the first general debate since the election of the new Secretary-General, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his appointment to that crucial post and wish him every success. His report on the work of the Organization (A/62/1) demonstrates not only the broad spectrum of issues dealt with by the United Nations but also the comprehensive character and vast potential of multilateral diplomacy.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Once again, I invite Turkey to recognize that there is no room for military doctrines with regard to Cyprus and to join us in seeking a lasting solution for the benefit of all Cypriots — Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike — of Turkey and of our entire region.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We still believe that in our relations with Turkey, there is only one way forward: creating a future of peace and cooperation, building bridges and mutual understanding, normalizing our relations and working hand in hand to achieve the goals of the European Union in our region. That would also enable us to address all outstanding issues to the benefit of all — especially the Turkish Cypriot community, which would have major opportunities to thrive and flourish if Turkey were to accept and acknowledge that it has no vested interests in Cyprus and must therefore relinquish all forms of interference in my country’s 06-52737 20 affairs.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We continue to expect Turkey to at least proceed with the implementation of its legally binding obligations vis-à-vis the European Union. This is a unique opportunity for Turkey to prove its willingness to turn the page by meeting obligations that it undertook years ago. Unfortunately, it has so far persistently refused to comply with them. Instead, our generous attitude towards Turkey’s accession to the European Union has met with a blockade against my country in its bid to join several international and regional organizations and with Turkey’s refusal to open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels, as required.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Ethnic origin, political equality as defined in the relevant United Nations resolutions, and cultural and religious diversity should be safeguarded, but not at the expense of the fundamental rights of citizens and the functionality and efficiency of State institutions. We had hoped that by now, Turkey’s course of accession to the European Union would have had a catalytic effect, producing the necessary political will on the part of Turkey and changing its perception of Cyprus from that of an adversary to that of a partner, a valuable neighbour and a potential ally in the European Union. Such a change in attitude would render completely anachronistic those considerations that have led the country to maintain its occupation army in Cyprus and that fuel its confrontational approach.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“That entails establishing a bicommunal and bizonal federal State of Cyprus with a single sovereignty and international personality and with a single citizenship. It must also guarantee the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus, without any foreign troops on its soil and without the possibility of foreign intervention. A settlement must aim, through a rational approach and a common vision of the future, to preserve and uphold the character of the State as a working democracy and to ensure the reunification of society and the convergence of allegiances to common institutions.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The method of initiating these technical discussions was agreed to by the two communities during the recent visit to Cyprus of Under-Secretary-General Gambari. Here, I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the good offices of Mr. Gambari, as well as for the continuing efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Mr. Michael Møller. Addressing these core issues — which must be settled satisfactorily if there is to be a feasible solution — should facilitate the attainment of the broader objectives of a settlement, which should be based on international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, the high-level agreements, the European Union acquis and the relevant decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“To that end, I wish to emphasize our concurrence with the opinion of the Secretary-General that good and careful preparation of any negotiating process is necessary before full- fledged negotiations can take place. It was thus agreed that bicommunal discussions at the technical level would commence to address substantive aspects of the Cyprus problem, as well as issues that affect the everyday life of all Cypriots as long as the status quo persists — a process that could be complemented by parallel confidence-building. This expert-level process is a sine qua non for the preparation of issues and their presentation to the leaders of the two communities for the purpose of meaningful negotiation.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The proposed plan was not accepted precisely because it did not provide for the reunification of our divided country or address core issues and key concerns in a satisfactory manner. The search for a settlement firmly remains for us in the United Nations framework, within the context of the good offices mission mandated to the Secretary-General by the Security Council. I would now like to turn briefly to developments of a political nature that have taken place over the past few months and to our attempts during that time to create the right conditions for the resumption of meaningful negotiations in the framework of the good offices mission of the Secretary-General for a viable settlement of the Cyprus problem.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“A recent example of that pattern of behaviour is the refusal of the Turkish side to consider our proposal to increase trading activity by reopening the port of Famagusta for exports to other States members of the European Union, in cooperation with the European Commission, following the return of the now fenced-off and derelict city of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants under the control of the Cyprus Government. 19 06-52737 The Greek Cypriots remain committed to reunification through a functional bizonal, bicommunal federation. The failure of the most recent initiative did not alter our commitment or our willingness to work resolutely towards the reunification of our country.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“In the political field, we have continued to exert efforts on two key axes, coming closer to a negotiating process that would guarantee a peaceful settlement, alleviate the consequences of the invasion and bring about the reunification of Cyprus, its territory, people, society, economy and institutions in a bizonal, bicommunal federation. The political agenda of projecting a separate political entity in Cyprus has been pursued in recent years under the pretext of a campaign to lift the so- called isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. However, with the annual per capita income in the occupied areas of Cyprus currently standing at approximately $11,000, it is evident that the argument for economic development is being exploited for political reasons and is a manifestly unsubstantiated allegation.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Mistaken by some for a protracted conflict, the Cyprus problem essentially epitomizes the inability of the international community to redress this set of massive violations of international legality. The status quo remains unchanged and the humanitarian and human rights consequences of the forcible division of the island and its people persist. The efforts to establish a separate political and legal entity within the occupied area of Cyprus by the occupying Power remain undiminished. Only with respect to investigating the fate of persons missing since the invasion and establishing the circumstances of their disappearance have we recently witnessed some encouraging developments.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“A year after the positive prospects created by Israeli disengagement from Gaza, the current crises serve as a reminder of the urgent need for a new strategy that would lead to a comprehensive and lasting settlement of all facets of the Middle East question on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions. In that respect, it is imperative to urgently revert to the implementation of international agreements, including the road map, providing for the creation of a viable Palestinian State that will peacefully coexist side by side with Israel within agreed borders. Let me now turn to the Cyprus problem — a problem of the invasion and continuing occupation by Turkish military forces of 37 per cent of the territory of my country for more than 32 years now.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“In our search for United Nations-centred, effective multilateralism, the lessons learned from that crisis should be a strong guiding force. We hope that the expanded United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, to whose deployment, operations and support Cyprus has undertaken to contribute, will be effective in preventing future eruptions of violence. In parallel to the Lebanese crisis, the world continues to witness the deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, with a heavy civilian toll and worsening humanitarian conditions.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“For almost four weeks, the international community witnessed a violent crisis in Lebanon that caused indescribable suffering, devastation and a deplorably high number of casualties among civilians. We offer our sympathy and concern to the Governments of Lebanon and Israel and to the families of all those affected. Firmly convinced that there is no military solution to such crises, Cyprus, from the very first moment of the outbreak of violence, supported the calls for an immediate ceasefire and joined in the effort to provide assistance both to the Lebanese people and to the evacuees. Unfortunately, it took almost a month for the Security Council to discharge its responsibilities effectively towards the peoples of the region, causing disappointment and frustration.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“06-52737 18 In that regard, I would like to commend the President of the General Assembly for choosing the achievement of the development goals as the theme of her presidency in recognition of their enduring importance. My Government believes that concerted, innovative multilateral action to eradicate the scourges deriving from poverty and underdevelopment can yield substantial results. In that connection, Cyprus has joined France, Brazil, Chile, Norway, the United Kingdom and other countries in deciding to introduce a special levy on air tickets, the proceeds of which will fund improved access to medication in developing countries. Regrettably, the urgent need to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East manifested itself in a very dramatic manner once again this summer.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“In that respect, let me underline that as a country whose priority lies with upholding the integrity of international law and full respect for human rights, we have a strong interest in seeing a Human Rights Council that fulfils its mandate and leads to human rights improvements on the ground. There are also aspects of reform that continue to elude us, such as Security Council reform and a comprehensive convention against terrorism; aspects that remain in progress, such as management reform, mandate review and system-wide coherence; and challenges that are increasingly more difficult to tackle, such as disarmament and non-proliferation.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“I would like moreover to warmly welcome the Republic of Montenegro as the 192nd Member of the United Nations. During the session that followed the 2005 World Summit, implementation of the Summit Outcome Document (resolution 60/1), and the reform process more generally, absorbed an important part of the work of the Organization. The establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council, alongside other important achievements, constitutes an important building block towards a consolidated international system based on effective multilateralism. We should, however, not lose sight of the fact that the legitimacy and the relevance of the reform achieved will be judged by its impact on the lives of our peoples.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Before proceeding with my remarks, I wish to indicate that Cyprus, as a member of the European Union, is represented by the Union and fully subscribes to the statement delivered this morning by the President of Finland on behalf of the European Union. I should also like to express my sincere congratulations to Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on her election as President of this session of the General Assembly, and my gratitude to Mr. Jan Eliasson, President during the sixtieth session, for his tireless efforts during a historic year for the United Nations. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the work of the Organization (A/61/1), highlighting the problems, the concerns and the achievements of the United Nations and providing guidance on the way forward.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We visualize that seeking a 05-51226 13 settlement will increasingly centre on and fall under the establishment of a functional, working democracy that does not require exceptionally taxing efforts for basic governance. We also visualize that with Cyprus’s membership of the European Union taking solid root, a settlement would encompass an integration of the currently occupied area to the characteristics of a European society and the standards of the acquis communautaire in full harmony with the rest of the island, and leading to a process of osmosis there.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“At the same time, for progress to be realized on the ground all secessionist attempts on Cyprus must be terminated immediately, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and a single vision based on the unification of the island must prevail. Unfortunately, however, we have not been moving closer to these imperatives. Instead we have been witnessing for well over a year a tendency to entrench the faits accomplis on Cyprus, particularly through an outburst of illegal exploitation of Greek- Cypriot-owned property in its occupied part. In establishing the new constitutional and institutional set-up we should avoid artificial structures that will require an abnormally long transitional period to be absorbed by the people and the institutions at a great socio-economic cost.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We anticipate that these will safeguard the right of all Cypriots to preserve their fundamental interests while simultaneously taking into account their most basic concerns. Aside from procedure, the time has come to go back to basics and realize that as long as the basic aspects of the problem are not truly tackled, progress will be difficult. Without dealing with the core components of the problem by putting an end to the military occupation, the massive violations of human rights and the plight of the refugees and by effectively addressing the question of settlers deliberately and illegally transported to the occupied part of the island, there can be no solution.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We have always hoped that Turkey’s accession course to the European Union would radically shift its mentality, a prospect that would mark the single biggest development in the Cyprus problem in decades. The fulfilment of Turkey’s obligations emanating from its accession course to the European Union will ipso jure rid the Cyprus problem of some of its most intractable components and facilitate a settlement. Simultaneously, the existence of the United Nations negotiating framework cannot serve as a pretext for postponing or refusing to fulfil these obligations. For our part, we remain committed to a bizonal, bicommunal federal Cyprus in line with what we consider to be the pillars of the survival of this model of settlement — the high-level agreements, United Nations resolutions, international law and the acquis communautaire.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“It should be clarified that a settlement should be formulated on the basis of the concerns and expectations of the people of Cyprus as a whole and should not aim at accommodating the interests of foreign Powers on the island. The Cyprus problem is at a critical juncture. Time may not be working in favour of reaching a settlement, but we must keep in mind that we cannot afford any more failed attempts. We should be particularly cautious but resolute. Revival of the talks requires thorough preparation and an honest assessment that the prospect of success is at least credible. This in turn requires confirmation that the Turkish political aims have now changed and that Turkey has reconciled itself to the fact that achieving a settlement is synonymous with the concept of a single, reunified State.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We hope that enhancing cooperation between Greek and Turkish Cypriots will be conducive to making progress on different aspects of the Cyprus problem, especially the elements composing its humanitarian dimension such as the fate of missing persons and the welfare of those in enclaves. The divisive character of the most recent plan, which essentially led to its rejection, epitomized its remoteness from the essence of the problem. Another source of great concern is the apparent willingness of actors involved in the process to concede a disproportionately large number of politically driven demands at the expense of those principles that should govern the solution.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The timetable for seeking a solution should genuinely and exclusively be determined by the parameters of the Cyprus problem, and as such there should be no deadlines embedded in the process that are dictated by exogenous elements. We remain committed to holding negotiations under the umbrella of the United Nations and to working for the creation of those conditions that will render fruitful negotiations feasible. In this context we have been implementing substantial practical measures on the ground with the aim of building confidence and promoting the economic development of the Turkish Cypriots.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The second misconception concerns the role of the United Nations in offering and continuing its good offices mission mandated to the Secretary-General by 12 05-51226 the Security Council. The Secretary-General’s mandate for the good offices mission has not come to an end but has entered a new phase with the end of the referenda. Regardless of its level of activation at different times, this mission is an ongoing and sustained process. Through it we expect the Organization to broker a negotiated settlement without any arbitration. The active contribution of the European Union in this regard would be catalytic. Only an agreed settlement endorsed by the leadership of the two communities can be put to referenda.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“They rejected that particular plan because it did not provide for and could not bring about the reunification of the country, its society, its economy and its institutions. During this time we have not remained idle. Our priority has been to revisit the content, product and shortcomings of the last negotiation process which led to the referenda. Simultaneously, emphasis was placed on dispelling certain misconceptions that were solidified as a result of the last negotiation process. One such misconception was that our constant and keen pursuit of peace and of achieving the reunification of our country has been diminished or that we have come to terms with the unacceptable division of our country which was imposed in 1974 by the invasion and occupation of 37 per cent of our land.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Even though the security situation is still fragile, and even though the political negotiation might not always be moving forward, the parties are offered a closed course in the form of the road map, which has the potential to steadily lead to progress. Furthermore, we firmly believe that the gathering momentum would be aided by strict adherence to international law and international humanitarian law, including the 4 July 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the construction of the barrier. Let me now turn to the Cyprus problem. Almost 18 months have elapsed since the April 2004 referenda on the Annan plan. Let me stress once more that in rejecting that plan the Greek Cypriots rejected neither finding a solution that would reunify Cyprus nor the urgency of achieving this.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Today more than ever, and rightly so, it remains at the core of our mobilization. Our endeavour to make a difference there in terms of conflict resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding and fighting poverty, underdevelopment and deadly diseases will be the litmus test of the effectiveness of our commitment to meet the Millennium Goals. The Middle East is another test case. In recent weeks it has been proven that reciprocal gestures have the capacity to construct common ground, even where that does not seem on the surface to exist. Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank is an important development that should lead to the implementation of the Quartet’s road map. Israel’s paradigm of removing settlers is one to be followed by other occupying Powers using settlers as a means of warfare.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Regarding, for instance, weapons of mass destruction, although we are aware of the inextricable link between disarmament and non-proliferation, we have not yet been able to strike the kind of balance that would allow us to pursue them equally and simultaneously. And while we have identified underdevelopment and poverty as key enemies of stability, this realization is not yet adequately reflected in our actions. The assessment of the current state of the world through the comprehensive report of the Secretary- General on the work of the Organization, which we have before us in document A/60/1, leads to the conclusion that long-standing conflicts, with all their ramifications, remain a primary source of concern for the international community. Africa is a prime example of this.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Not only has the new century inherited many of the challenges and problems of the previous one, but new scourges have emerged that jeopardize the legitimacy and the very existence of our system of collective security. These require an urgent response from the international community through an action- oriented strategy encompassing the appropriate institutional framework, appropriate decision-making mechanisms and the efficient implementation of our commitments. Fulfilling our pledges in a timely manner is not a responsibility applicable only to traditional security threats. Terrorism, transnational crime and many other security deficits require our full attention in the form of elaborating result-oriented action plans.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The realization of the content of the summit outcome document (resolution 60/1) in conjunction with reforming the United Nations, may very well decide the Organization’s relevance and standing in decades to come and with it the fate of our attempts to render effective multilateralism the cornerstone of international order. Beyond the wide spectrum of issues covered in the summit’s outcome document, we must not lose sight of those realities on which the United Nations must — and is expected to — remain primarily focused. For these, we must go back to the genesis of the Organization. In the wake of the Second World War, a vision emerged to establish a system of collective security and institutionalized mechanisms that would ensure the maximization of conflict prevention and the minimization of the duration and impact of a conflict.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Before proceeding with my remarks, I wish to begin by indicating that my delegation fully subscribes to the statement delivered by the presidency of the European Union. At the outset, Sir, let me express my sincere congratulations to you on your election to the presidency of this session of the General Assembly and my sincere gratitude to Mr. Jean Ping, President at the fifty-ninth session, for his tireless efforts during a very crucial year for the United Nations. With the end of the summit, we have entered a far more crucial phase, that of the follow-up and implementation of its outcome and the furtherance of the progress achieved, especially in terms of those targets which have been subject to an enforcement road 05-51226 11 map since the Millennium Summit.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“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.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)