The issue of Turkish violations of human rights in Cyprus was followed up at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, when the representatives of Cyprus and Greece took the floor and replied to the Turkish representative, who had commented on the speech made by Cyprus` Permanent Representative Nicos Emiliou.
The Turkish representative had reiterated his country`s well-known positions on the so-called oppression of the Turkish Cypriots by the Greek Cypriots, and the intervention of Turkey, based on its contractual rights.
Cyprus` representative at the Committee Stelios Makriyiannis said “it is regrettable that, rather than facing its responsibility for the continuing human rights violations in Cyprus, and engaging constructively towards ending them, Turkey has again resorted to a selective interpretation of history, in an attempt to divert attention from the real issues.”
“Whereas the coup d’état of July 1974, to which my distinguished Turkish colleague referred, and through which democracy itself and all Cypriot people suffered, ended in failure only days after it was launched, the Turkish invasion and resulting occupation of more than one third of Cyprus’ territory continues to this day,” he added.
Makriyiannis pointed out that, “despite the suffering that the occupation continues to inflict upon both the Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot communities, and the often insurmountable obstacles it places on the exercise of control over its sovereign territory, the Government of Cyprus is doing everything in its power to ensure that all its citizens, including all Turkish-Cypriots, enjoy full and equal access to the same rights, freedoms and privileges as Cypriot and – by extension – European Union citizens.”
He also presented facts that prove that the myth of the so-called isolation of Turkish-Cypriots that Turkey regurgitates was not true, adding that “actions speak louder than words” and “if there is anyone today holding the Turkish-Cypriots hostage, that is Turkey itself.”
“If it really longs for lasting peace in the region, Turkey should start by withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, respecting and applying UN resolutions and immediately restoring the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots,” Makriyiannis said.
Greece`s representative I. Iakovidis referred to the violation of human rights in Cyprus by Turkey, the issue of missing persons, the thousands of refugees, the illegal sale of Greek Cypriot properties, the altering of Cyprus` demographic composition, and the destruction of cultural heritage.
“Greece believes that the intercommunal negotiations under the auspices of the Good Offices Mission of the UN Secretary-General are the only way to achieve a mutually acceptable, comprehensive, viable, functional and just settlement of the Cyprus problem, in accordance with the relevant Security Council Resolutions and the principles and values of the European Union,” Iakovidis said, adding that “Greece supports ongoing efforts of the UN Good Offices Mission aiming at relaunching the negotiations and is more than ready to facilitate these efforts.”
