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- Ελληνικά
Wednesday, 20September
Mr. President,
Your Excellencies,
On July 26, 1946, in San Francisco, our predecessors pledged -
"to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has caused untold sorrow to mankind" -,
"to join forces to maintain international peace and security,
to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and to refrain... from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State."
These commitments were the promise of our predecessors, bequeathed to us for the future.
The United Nations Charter, ladies and gentlemen, is a promise, not a reality. If we become complacent, words are not worth the paper they are written on.
The horrors of World War II, which began in Europe and destroyed the world, brought nations together. We, gathered here today, must live up to the obligations set out in the United Nations Charter, to declare -
Never again.
Have no doubt - we bear the responsibility to ensure that the world is not drawn into the horrors of war. That is our mandate.
Do we have the courage to do so?
Do we have the determination to make peace our highest priority, to honour the foundations of the United Nations and to ensure that it remains relevant?
Our predecessors had an admirable sense of personal responsibility for the future. I believe it is this sense of personal responsibility, from the individual, that underpins the idea and reality of a UN around the world.
Our predecessors also knew that the road to peace would be full of challenges. They had the determination, the deep faith, the knowledge that it would require the ability of all peoples to come together to make peace a reality. So that their children, and future generations, so that our children today, would not bear the scars of another world war.
But they also had the greatest possible driving force. The world, the leaders before us, inherited ashes, not institutions. They had no choice but to resort to multilateralism, international law, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.
Today, as we shoulder the work of our predecessors, we remain responsible for realizing the vision of peace that sparked the creation of this resilient organization. Will we be up to the challenge? Can we act with a sense of urgency, without which we too will fail?
Your Excellencies,
As a historian, I firmly believe that history serves as an invaluable compass and the most valuable source of lessons.
More than seven decades after the founding of the United Nations, the war in Ukraine has shaken the world. It reminds us that "Never Again" is a rallying cry, a sacred pledge that is fragile and that we must protect with all our resolve.
Cyprus unequivocally condemns any violation of international peace and security committed through military action by any state against the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of another state. In this case of violation of international law, as in any similar case, we stand by those whom history will show to be right on their side.
From the first day of the attack on Ukraine, the Cypriot people - one third of whom are still displaced as a result of foreign aggression against their country - have shown solidarity, in deeds and not just in words, with the people of Ukraine.
From the first day of the attack on Ukraine, the Cypriot people - one third of whom are still displaced as a result of foreign aggression against their country - have shown solidarity, in deeds and not just in words, with the people of Ukraine. We do this because we remember. We do this because it is the right thing to do.
We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urge the parties to engage in constructive dialogue and negotiation. The world must support this effort, not only because history demands it, but also to ensure that the world moves away from a war that could reduce this institution to rubble.
Mr. President,
The invasion of Ukraine is not the first instance of violence being used against a sovereign nation in Europe since World War II.
As in Ukraine, in Cyprus the United Nations Charter and international law continue to be violated.
In 1974 Turkey invaded Cyprus, and since then, 49 years later, it has occupied European territory, and its people - Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots - continue to suffer the consequences of invasion, occupation, division. They are deprived of fundamental freedoms and human rights.
Europe, which decades ago witnessed the worst atrocities humanity has ever committed against itself, remains fragmented as long as Cyprus is divided.
Born in 1973, only a few months before Turkey invaded Cyprus, I have seen my people grieve, endure, rebuild, always with a fervent desire for peace and reunification. The invasion forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands of Cypriots and Turkey still occupies about 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. The families of the missing are desperately awaiting information on the fate of their loved ones. The stranded are stoically waiting for the end of the division.
One of the lessons that the recent invasion of Ukraine reminds us is that, in the absence of a lasting and sustainable peace, the resulting fragile situation can lead to destabilisation, with far-reaching consequences, not only for the country concerned, but also for the region to which it belongs, and for the world at large.
Ukraine is an example, in the darkest way, of how a threat to peace somewhere in the world is a threat to peace everywhere.
In the absence of a peace course and process in Cyprus, there is a serious risk - a risk that we have seen materialize in the recent past - of further violations of international law, which create instability, and with implications far beyond Cyprus.
We have seen Turkish military forces commit further violations in Varosha, the fenced area of Famagusta. Since 1974, Varosha has been held hostage and has become a ghost town, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions calling for its return to its rightful inhabitants, who left their livelihoods, their dreams and their hopes between those fences.
We have seen it happen in our maritime zones and we have seen it more recently in the buffer zone, where the attacks on UN peacekeepers by Turkish forces have horrified us and warned us once again of the urgent need for peace in Cyprus.
That is why the resumption of negotiations, based on the agreed framework, is my absolute priority. The current status quo cannot be the future of Cyprus. It cannot be the future of Cypriots.
As President of Cyprus, I believe in peaceful coexistence because, although I grew up in a divided country, I also grew up in a country full of hope for reunification, with stories of all Cypriots living together in peace, united by the land they share.
The new generation of Cypriots is also eager for peace. And that gives me hope and courage. Before my trip to New York, I received a plethora of messages from my Turkish Cypriot compatriots, especially from the younger generation, urging me to make every effort for the reunification of Cyprus.
My message from this platform to my Turkish Cypriot compatriots, to all Cypriots, is that I hear their call for peace, I understand their concerns and I assure them that I will make every effort to make our common dream of reunification and peace on our island a reality. And I want to be able to tell them that the world, the United Nations, the living words of the United Nations Charter, are also listening to their call for peace.
I appear before the General Assembly for the first time, fully aware of the responsibility that has been entrusted to me to do all I can to safeguard the future of the Cypriot people - Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots - who want to end the division of their country, to co-exist and co-create.
Working for peace in Cyprus is my absolute priority and I want to take this opportunity to send a personal message to President Erdogan.
There is, and never will be, no other basis for the settlement of the Cyprus issue than that dictated by the UN Security Council resolutions. The illegality resulting from the invasion, aggression and use of force cannot be recognized.
Cyprus and Turkey are neighbours, linked by their geographical position. Peace in Cyprus will not only send a resounding message of peace to a region and a world that desperately needs it. It will also change the geopolitical map of our region, with implications for Europe, the wider Eastern Mediterranean and EU-Turkey relations. Arms diplomacy and scare tactics are a thing of the past. These are not the tools used by leaders with vision. This is our moment to bring the UN Charter to life, a charter for peace for all. We, and the generations that will come after us, have something to gain from dialogue, from good neighbourly relations. Let us build a brighter future for our countries through dialogue and respect for international legitimacy.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In this important hall, we all feel the weight of history on our shoulders. The great women and great men who bequeathed this organization and institutions to us expected us to strengthen them, to develop them and to take personal responsibility for their future.
I am here today with a clear purpose and determination: the only effective means of addressing this risk of instability created by the absence of a peace route is to create such a route, to promote dialogue through which the positions and concerns of all sides can be addressed and discussed in good faith.
I am ready to negotiate boldly and courageously on the Cyprus problem, in good faith, always within the agreed UN framework and in full respect of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions calling for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as defined by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. At a time when international legitimacy is under attack, international law, the UN Security Council resolutions must prevail.
I pledge to negotiate a settlement that will safeguard fundamental freedoms and human rights, the interests of all my fellow Cypriots - Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latinos - all on an equal basis. A comprehensive settlement that will allow them to prosper in conditions of coexistence and peace, without anachronistic dependencies and a system of guarantees that have no place in a European country.
This is why it is necessary to resume peace negotiations on the basis of the agreed framework, preserving the acquis of the previous round of negotiations.
As the Security Council has decided, it is time for the UN to become a driving force for dialogue by appointing, as a first step, a Cyprus envoy to explore and prepare the ground for the resumption of negotiations.
The United Nations and the Secretary-General have a responsibility, as set out in the UN Charter, to act as a catalyst for peace in Cyprus. This effort can be supported by the European Union, which also has the necessary tools and has expressed its commitment to help reunite the last divided member state. Like the United Nations, the European Union is also a peace-promoting organisation. The Union can and must act decisively, with all the means at its disposal, to promote the reunification of its last divided Member State, thus contributing to peace in Europe, in the wider Middle East and in the world.
Distinguished delegates,
The theme of this year's General Assembly focuses on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all. Achieving these goals requires comprehensive efforts and transformative solutions. Climate change and its urgency know no borders.
Our region, the Eastern Mediterranean, is particularly vulnerable in this respect. The raging fires and floods during this summer are a grim reminder that we are failing to act, at our peril. Sadly, we have all witnessed the wrath of nature in the storm in countries in our region, and in countries such as Libya, where thousands of people have died so tragically.
To this end, Cyprus is actively participating in a new international Climate Change Initiative to address the specific needs and challenges faced by countries in our region to promote mitigation actions. The Climate Summit taking place today is a critical milestone to reaffirm our collective political will to achieve the transition to a climate resilient global economy.
At the same time, recognizing that human rights are essential for lasting peace and sustainable development, we must ensure that they guide solutions to the challenges we face. The international human rights agenda is a political priority for Cyprus and for this reason, with a special sense of duty and responsibility, we have announced our candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027. As an EU Member State, we are committed to acting against gender-based violence and we have also joined the Secretary-General's Leadership Circle on preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse at the United Nations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 1946, Winston Churchill declared that the dangers and difficulties of creating conditions of freedom and democracy and of permanently preventing war would not be removed by closing our eyes, nor by a policy of appeasing the aggressors. What is needed is real action and the longer this is delayed, the more difficult it will be and the greater the risks.
Cyprus is at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, in a part of the world that has experienced conflict and instability. However, we are convinced that the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East are changing the narrative that it is a region in turmoil. We can become a hub of stability, peace and cooperation, an example of the change that can take place in the 21st century. Cyprus seeks to act as a facilitator in this shared vision and has been in contact with its immediate neighbours - Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Lebanon, Palestine, Greece - building a credible network of cooperation reinforced by the vision of making the Mediterranean a sea of peace, cooperation and prosperity.
We will continue on this path of multilateralism based on respect for international legitimacy and we invite all countries in the region that share these values to join us.
This is, after all, the essence of the guiding principles that founded the United Nations 78 years ago.
Peace. I am before you today asking all of us to work together for peace. This is nothing new, nor is it groundbreaking. But it can change the world and we need to remind ourselves, every day, that we can and it is our responsibility to make it happen.
Thank you for your attention.
EF/SX
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