United Nations A/58/PV.11 General Assembly Official Records Fifty-eighth session 11th plenary meeting Thursday, 25 September 2003, 10 a.m. New York President: The Hon. Julian R. Hunte ................................... (Saint Lucia) The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m. acceding countries, on 1 May 2004. But already we are associated with the work of the Union and participate Address by Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, President of in all meetings and in the life of the new European the Republic of Cyprus family of the 25 members. Hence, Cyprus is represented by the statement of the Italian Presidency of the The President: The Assembly will first hear an European Union and fully subscribes to its contents. address by the President of the Republic of Cyprus. Unfortunately, the current session is taking place Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, President of the in a heavy and loaded atmosphere. The deadly attack Republic of Cyprus, was escorted into the against the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad General Assembly Hall. last month, as well as the most recent one of two days The President: On behalf of the General ago, continue to fill us with bitterness and indignation. Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United We all share the feeling of great injustice and insult to Nations His Excellency Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, the international community. Once again, I wish to President of the Republic of Cyprus, and to invite him express our deep condolences to the victims’ families to address the Assembly. and our sympathy to those injured. At the same time, we should also convey the message that such actions President Papadopoulos: I would like to extend will not deter us from the pursuit of the high ideals of to you, Sir, my warmest congratulations on your the United Nations and its engagement in Iraq. election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. We are indeed very happy to see a From Baghdad to Jakarta, from Russia to India, Minister from a fellow Commonwealth, and also an and back to the heinous attacks of 11 September two island State, presiding over the session. I am sure that years ago, terrorist acts around the globe serve as a your diplomatic skills, experience and grasp of the painful reminder that terrorism transcends borders and issues will harmoniously steer our work. I would also attacks universal values. Freedom, democracy, human like to express our thanks and appreciation to your rights and humanity itself have to be defended by the predecessor, Mr. Jan Kavan, for the excellent record of international community with persistence and his presidency. determination. At the same time, we should be cautious and ensure that our actions are fully in line with the This year my country is about to fulfil its most cherished values we want to uphold. As the threat is ambitious aspiration — joining the European Union. unfortunately far from over, a genuine global After having signed the accession treaty in April, we mobilization, under the aegis of the United Nations, is expect to become a full member, along with nine other of the essence if this endeavour is to be successful. This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum. 03-53133 (E) *0353133* A/58/PV.11 Cyprus is playing its part fully in this concerted effort violence thwarts the efforts to place and maintain on a and is among the countries that have ratified all 12 of solid track this process which would lead to a the international conventions pertaining to terrorism. settlement. The necessary political will should be Furthermore, it has recently ratified the United Nations demonstrated by both sides, at all levels, and be Convention on the Safety of United Nations and matched with persistent action on the ground, in the Associated Personnel of 1994. right direction. The non-proliferation of weapons of mass I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate destruction has become, and rightly so, a top priority in our longstanding position for a just settlement, in the world’s agenda. The risk of acquisition of such accordance with international law, United Nations weapons by terrorist groups highlights even more the resolutions and the agreements reached between the gravity and the urgency of the issues to be addressed. parties, which will put an end to the occupation and In that respect, the United Nations has a truly realize the aspirations of the Palestinian people for the instrumental role to play. The universalization of, and establishment of an independent state, side by side with compliance with, multilateral treaties related to Israel, in peace and security. Cyprus, a country of the disarmament and non-proliferation, as well as verification region with traditionally close relations with both mechanisms and internationally-coordinated export parties, stands ready to assist in every possible way. controls, are essential tools in our efforts. We have The realization of the Charter’s vision of a just, repeatedly expressed our genuine commitment to peaceful and prosperous world remains inextricably international norms in the field of disarmament. I am linked with the commitment to promote and protect happy to report that Cyprus, earlier this year, ratified human rights and fundamental freedoms in full the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the conformity with their universal, indivisible and Ottawa Convention. interdependent nature. The Government of Cyprus attaches great The Republic of Cyprus, still witnessing serious importance to the international effort against mine violations of human rights within its territory by proliferation and the clearing of minefields. For this foreign armed forces, places human rights at the very top reason it has taken the initiative to clear all minefields of its agenda. While working hard for the promotion and laid in the buffer zone by the Cyprus National Guard protection of the human rights of all its citizens under the immediately after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. In harsh circumstances imposed by the invasion and this regard, I would like to announce today my occupation of a significant part of its territory, Cyprus Government’s decision and firm commitment: first, to never loses sight of the universal dimension of human unilaterally start within the next two months, in rights and remains active and resolutely watches over cooperation with the United Nations and with the the protection of human rights throughout the world. It financial support of the European Union, mine reaffirms its full support of the Secretary General’s clearance in the buffer zone and, secondly, to efforts to integrate human rights into the whole range unilaterally proceed with the destruction of an of United Nations activities and reiterates its appreciable amount of stockpiled antipersonnel mines commitment to working closely with United Nations this year during the month of November. This is just a partners towards their universal implementation. first step but, I believe, a major one in the implementation of our obligations under the We still strive in Cyprus for establishing the fate Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, of all those Cypriots, both Greek and Turkish, missing Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and since the Turkish invasion of 1974. This is a major on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention). issue of a purely humanitarian character and we seek the support of the international community as a whole This year again, the situation in the Middle East in order to put an end, at last, to the continuing ordeal remains a source of major concern for the region and of so many families. For this to happen, the beyond. The Quartet’s road map, with the cooperation and political will of the Republic of overwhelming international support it enjoys, Turkey are absolutely necessary. represents an historic opportunity that should not be missed. Unfortunately, in recent days, the international Furthermore, the rights of the few remaining community has held its breath as blind and spiralling enclaved persons in the occupied part of Cyprus 2 A/58/PV.11 continue to be violated. The rights of the refugees are In Cyprus, we have faced adversity for so many also still being denied, while our people face new faits years and we have survived. Hence, we know that we accomplis by the occupation army, as in the case of the have to persevere. We still believe in the United advance of the Turkish Army in the area of Strovilia. Nations and we are grateful for its interest and With the assistance of the international community we involvement. I would like to take this opportunity to are, nevertheless, resolved to persevere in the express our sincere thanks to the Secretary-General for implementation of international conventions and for his tireless efforts within the framework of his mission the restoration of the human rights of all Cypriots. of good offices in Cyprus, entrusted to him by the Security Council. I would like also to praise the work In view of the new challenges that the United of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General, Nations is required to face, Cyprus strongly supports Mr. Álvaro de Soto, and all members of his team, of his the Secretary General’s United Nations objectives, assistant of the United Nations Mission, as well as of which aim at adapting the internal structures and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and culture of the Organization to new expectations.