Speech
by the President of the Republic,
Mr.
Nicos Anastasiades,
at
the General Debate of the 69th
Session
of
the General Assembly of the UN
Mr. President,
I wish to congratulate
you on your election as President of the 69th
session of the UN General Assembly and convey my Government’s full
support in the exercise of Your high duties, with the shared goal of
promoting UN principles in a period of great uncertainty and
instability.
Mr. President,
The UN General Assembly
constitutes the only international forum in which all the Heads of
States or Governments gather together, in order not only to brief the
international public opinion about serious issues faced by their
countries, but to also deliberate on all regional and international
challenges that are not country-specific and call international order
into question.
We should always bear in
mind that the UN was created with the aim of maintaining
international peace and security, thus, fostering the effective
protection of the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all
people, irrespective of gender, racial
or ethnic origin, religion or belief.
For
these principles, at the heart of the Charter of this Organization,
to be upheld, we should all realize that, in an era of globalization,
all members of the UN are bound to be affected, one way or another,
by events unfolding in any country or region, though in dissimilar
magnitude and at different times.
As such,
joint
actions are needed, through a common understanding that, despite our
individual differences, the path to peace, stability and democracy
can only be achieved through the United Nations. Enhancing its role,
adhering to the principles of its Charter and implementing its
resolutions is a sine qua non for effectively tackling new and
long-standing threats.
The
upcoming 70th
anniversary of the United Nations constitutes a significant milestone
in the UN history. Cyprus believes that
this is the right moment to intensify our efforts and commit
ourselves to move ahead,
through self-assessment and an all-inclusive debate,
so as to reach a tangible outcome that will strengthen the
relevance and effectiveness of this Organisation.
In this regard, I would
like to remind of the 2005
“World Summit” during which world leaders agreed to an “early
reform of the Security Council”.
Mr. President,
Last
year, when for
the very first time I addressed this body, I conveyed my deep concern
and indignation about acts that we were witnessing and which
undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,
causing regional and global insecurity, such as:
- Terrorism;
- Annexation of territories via illegal use of force;
- Religious fundamentalism; and,
- Forcible displacement of millions of peoples.
Unfortunately,
and despite our efforts, we have to admit that during
this past year we have not adequately risen to meet these challenges.
It is even more worrying that their extent and impact has been
intensified at the expense of human lives, individual and collective
social and economic prosperity, and, ultimately, regional and
international peace and security.
All that we are
witnessing in Libya, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, particularly following
the emergence of ISIS and the perpetration of its untold atrocities,
should not leave us indifferent or passive.
It is our duty towards
humanity and our shared values to immediately adopt a more proactive
involvement, so as to save future generations from the plague of
asymmetrical threats, terrorism and bare hatred.
In this respect, we
salute the Security Council Resolution, adopted last Wednesday, to
decisively address the growing threat posed by the unprecedented flow
of foreign terrorist fighters and the growth of facilitation networks
fuelling conflicts around the World. We expect that those responsible
for the shocking crimes committed in the last few weeks will be held
accountable.
At the same time, we
should not ignore that deep-rooted and long-standing conflicts
possess the ability to ignite instantly regional instability, cause
bloodshed, and endanger the lives of thousands of innocent civilians,
including children.
Regrettably, such events
sow the seeds of animosity and of further violence that render
dialogue and negotiations more difficult to be conducted and
eventually to succeed. Specifically, as regards the Middle East Peace
Process, the right of Israeli people to statehood should not be
called into question, nor should the same right for the people of
Palestine.
We commend the very
positive role of the Egyptian Government in mediating between the two
sides. At the same time, we strongly urge all interested stakeholders
to discourage the activities of terrorist groups that oppose the
Middle East Peace Process.
Furthermore, we cannot
remain indifferent to what is taking place in Ukraine and the
repercussions as regards the relations between some of the most
important and influential actors in the world arena, the United
States, the Russian Federation and the European Union.
We welcome the agreement
reached in Minsk on the 5th
of September and we call for it to be honoured and fully implemented
by all sides.
Naturally, besides and
beyond these regional conflicts, we should be vigilant and remind
ourselves that other conventional and non-conventional challenges
pose existential dangers which we have yet to tackle.
These include, amongst
others, human trafficking, proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, global poverty, hunger and distress that intensify
migration flows and create demographic changes, and epidemic spreads,
such as the recent example of Ebola. Simultaneously, the effects of
climate change can eventually, in the distant future, turn out to be
irreversible and catastrophic.
Mr. President,
Cyprus lies at the
crossroads of Europe, North Africa, and the Near and Middle East, a
volatile region in which most conflicts take place. However, we do
pride ourselves in being an EU member-state and in enjoying excellent
relations with all our neighbours. Hence, we are being considered as
an honest broker with no hidden agendas.
We do realise that our
geography is our destiny and we have assumed a constructive role in
upholding the UN values and principles and contributing to efforts
towards peace in our region, always in line with our capabilities.
We are at the forefront
of efforts to fight terrorism and human trafficking, the
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to provide
humanitarian aid and facilities when deemed necessary. Only
yesterday, Cyprus was instrumental to the rescue of around 350 Syrian
refugees from a fishing boat stranded in the Mediterranean, thus
averting a great humanitarian catastrophe.
In parallel, the
discovery of hydrocarbons in our neighbourhood has undoubtedly
upgraded its strategic importance. Energy can serve as a catalyst for
broader cooperation, thus, contributing to peace and stability, and
as a means of strengthening regional and EU energy security and
diversification which will boost the economies of the countries in
the area.
We stand ready to
contribute towards this cause and even mediate in bringing
neighbouring hydrocarbon-producing and hydrocarbon-consuming
countries together.
Mr. President,
2014 marks the 40th
anniversary of the violent division of my country: a consequence of
the 1974 invasion and its continuing occupation by Turkey.
It is not my intention to
engage in a blame game, since a plethora of UN resolutions and UN
Security Council decisions, not only truly reflect the historic and
continuing responsibilities of those who are at fault, but also
condemn the unacceptable status quo and call for the re-unification
of Cyprus and the withdrawal of occupation forces.
What I would like to
stress, once more, is my sincere commitment to work vigorously and
with resolve, in order, through a constructive, in-depth and
substantive dialogue, reach a settlement that will:
- Reunite Cyprus and its people;
- Restore the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all its lawful citizens;
- Relieve the island from the presence of occupying troops;
- Ensure the peaceful co-existence and socio-economic collaboration between all of its citizens;
- Guarantee the effectiveness and efficient functioning of Cyprus as an EU member-state.
For me, there is only one
Plan. That is, to reach a settlement of the Cyprus problem, on the
basis of what has been agreed as a compromise: The evolution of the
Republic of Cyprus into a
bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out
in the relevant Security Council Resolutions and the High Level
Agreements,
with a single sovereignty, a single international legal personality
and a single citizenship.
Mr. President,
After
months
of difficult negotiations, on 11 February 2014, a Joint Declaration
was agreed between the two communities, setting out the basic
guidelines and principles for the framework of the agreed solution to
be reached, as well as the methodology of the negotiating process.
At the
same time, it
is extremely important that the Joint Declaration clearly articulates
that the shared sole purpose of the negotiating process is to end the
unacceptable status quo and reach a settlement that will safeguard
and
respect the principles upon which the EU is founded.
Following
the Joint Declaration
and intensive negotiations between the two sides, comprehensive
proposals on all Chapters on the Cyprus problem have been submitted.
We have now reached the phase of concentrating our efforts to bridge
the differences, so as to pave the way forward towards a viable and
lasting settlement.
Taking this opportunity,
I would like to warmly welcome the recent
appointment by the UN Secretary-General of his new Special Adviser,
Mr. Espen Barth Eide. We believe that his appointment, at a critical
juncture in the negotiating process, demonstrates the UN
determination to ensure that the process moves decisively forward.
However,
it
goes without saying that what is also needed is the demonstration of
genuine will by our compatriots to negotiate in good faith and by
Turkey to contribute constructively to the efforts to reach a
settlement, not only in theory and rhetoric, but through practical
and substantial actions.
A
first step towards the long-awaited demonstration of genuine
political will would be the adoption of my package-proposal for bold
Confidence Building Measures that would create
a win-win situation for all parties concerned, helping build mutual
understanding, confidence and good will, thereby serving as a
catalyst to the ongoing negotiating process.
Moreover, we do expect to
receive the sincere co-operation by Turkey on the humanitarian issue
of the missing persons, including through granting access to all
areas as required and providing the necessary information that will
help shed light on their fate and alleviate the pain of their
relatives.
Mr. President,
Cyprus and
its citizens deserve much more than a divided country. Forty years is
more than enough for all of us, and it is high-time for all those
involved to realise that the artificial complacency related with the
current status quo is to the benefit of no one. A solution would be
to the benefit of all Cypriots, Turkey, our immediate region, and,
evidently, the international community.
My ultimate vision is to
relieve all Cypriots, especially the younger generations, the future
of the country, from the anachronistic burden of having to live in a
divided country in which they are forcibly prevented from enjoying
the freedoms that is the birthright of every citizen in the world. A
burden that they are not to blame for and are entitled to see it
redressed.
I will not deviate from
pursuing this vision, as this is the duty I have undertaken towards
all Cypriots. I will not shy away from the historic responsibility to
provide a stable, peaceful, prosperous and conciliatory future in my
country.
Mr. President,
It would be a serious
omission if, before concluding, I did not extend the sincere
gratitude of our people and of my Government to the UN
Secretary-General and the Security Council for the work of UNFICYP in
the last 50 years, which constitutes a prime example of the
successful role that the UN can undertake in peace-keeping.
And while we greatly
value the benefits of peace-keeping and the role of the UN towards
this end, we consider that it is even more important to support and
empower this Organisation to continue its work towards peace-making,
peace-building and conflict prevention, particularly as regards new
and emerging threats.
On our behalf, I want to
assure you that we will continue offering any help deemed necessary
in achieving these noble objectives.
Thank you for your
attention.
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