In intervention before the UN General Assembly on Friday, 21 January 2022, Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, welcomed the presentation of the UN Secretary-General's priorities for 2022 and thanked him for his personal involvement in efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.
He noted that multilateralism remains the only framework for an effective international collective security system that ensures equality in security for all, zero tolerance of threats, consequences for aggressors and justice for victims. In cases where the unlawful use of force cannot be prevented, the UN must ensure that its effects are neither accepted nor legitimized.
Regarding the issue of socio-economic inequality, he expressed concern not only about its impact on human well-being and dignity, but also about its impact on governance and the rule of law. He added that the pandemic had had the effect of further widening the gap between wealth and poverty.
He agreed with the Secretary-General's position on conflict prevention, stressing however that a plethora of existing conflicts should not be forgotten. Mr. Hadjichrysanthou expressed the gratitude of the Republic of Cyprus for the Secretary-General's Good Offices Mission to Cyprus with a view to its reunification as a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as defined by the relevant Security Council resolutions. He also expressed the hope that the Secretary-General would soon appoint an envoy with a view to resuming the peace process on the Cyprus problem.
On the issue of climate change, the Permanent Representative said that Cyprus, as a country where part of its territory is under continued occupation and which has been experiencing the effects of climate change for years, is particularly concerned that the climate crisis is emerging as a threat to peace and security. It noted that certain parts of the world will become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels and drew particular attention to addressing the mass movement of people due to climate change.
(BG/EXP)
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