The Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, represented the Republic of Cyprus on 9 June 2022 at the UN General Assembly Plenary debate on the annual report of the Security Council for 2021.
In his intervention, Mr. Hadjichrysanthou, after thanking the President of the Security Council for the presentation of the Report, stressed the need for further cooperation and synergy between the Security Council and the General Assembly in order to achieve the primary objectives of the UN.
We stand by our conviction, he said, that the Report should not be a collection of records regarding Security Council meetings and documents, but a substantive reflection of the Council's position on each item on the agenda.
At the same time, Mr. Hadjichrysanthou noted, an analysis should be made of each conflict considered by the Security Council, including its impact. There should also be an assessment on the implementation of Security Council decisions and the compliance of those involved. It is also necessary to include an assessment of the Security Council's performance in fulfilling key aspects of its mandate, and assessments of ways in which the Security Council will ensure the peaceful resolution of each conflict before it.
In addition, the Permanent Representative added, the report should include a strategic analysis regarding the root causes of conflicts and possible ways in which the Security Council's approach can be made more comprehensive. It should also document solutions to the consequences of conflict, such as population displacement and subsequent human rights violations. Finally, it is necessary for the report to include a specific chapter on peace and justice, with a view to providing clarity on the level of impunity for serious war crimes, including sexual violence, and strategies to eradicate it.
Referring specifically to the Cyprus problem, he welcomed the two resolutions adopted by the Security Council in 2021 to renew the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus, on the basis of resolution 186. He stressed that the reason why the Cyprus problem has remained on the agenda of the Security Council for so many years is primarily the non-implementation, without consequences, of the numerous relevant resolutions adopted by the Security Council. For this reason, it is imperative that the Security Council shows leadership in demonstrating that its resolutions cannot be ignored but must be implemented. To allow the consequences of the illegal use of force against Cyprus to be perpetuated would set a dangerous precedent for the credibility of the Security Council. The case of Varosha, he added, was a concrete example of accepting the ability of the Security Council to implement its relevant resolutions. It is the responsibility of the Security Council to protect UN member states, especially small states, to ensure that the will of powerful adversaries is not imposed.
Finally, the Permanent Representative reiterated the need to improve the way the Security Council approaches Member States directly involved in the issues on its agenda, as well as those hosting UN peacekeeping operations.
(MG/EHR)
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