A/33/PV.46 General Assembly

In connexion. with the debate on the present item of the agenda, a draft resolution has been submitted [A/33/L. 7J. 2. Before calling on the first speaker this morning, I ask the Rapporteur of the Special Political Committee, Mr. Abduldayem M. Mubarez of Yemen, to present the report of that Committee [A/33/361J on the meetings it held on 7 November to hear the views of the representatives of the Cypriot communities. 3. Mr. MUBAREZ (Yemen), Rapporteur of the Special Political Committee: I have the honour to present to the General Assembly the report of the Special Political Committee on agenda item 28 [A/33/361]. 4. As indicated in the report, in accordance with the decision taken by the General Assembly at its 45th plenary meeting, on 6 November, the Special Political Committee devoted its 24th and 25th meetings, held on Tuesday, 7 November, to hearing the views of representatives of the Cyprus communities. 5. In the course of the two meetings Mr. Rauf Denkta~, the representative of the Turkish Cypriot community, and Mr. Alecos Michaelides, the representative of the Greek Cypriot community, made statements. A statement was also made by the representative of Saudi Arabia. 6. As requested by the General Assembly, verbatim records were made of the meetings held on this subject by the Special Political Committee.•

May I take it that the General Assembly takes note of the report of the Special Political Committee? NEW YORK

For several years the General Assembly has been c(,l~apelled to consider the dramatic situation obtaining in Cyprus, a small country, a founder of the movement of non-aligned countries, and the fatherland of Archbishop Makarios, which continues to be occupied by foreign armed forces despite the tenaci(\us efforts of the international com- munity and numerous resolutions of the United Nations, some of which were adopted with the-unanimous support of all Member States. 9. It is impossible for us to forget the circumstances in which that situation was created by the concurrent action of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] and the Fascist clique later overthrown iR Greece, and by the subsequent occupation of the territory. The consequences that are still being felt have entailed the loss of many lives and much material wealth, the forced departure of its inhabitants and persecution of the Greek Cypriot com- munity, some of whom have been evicted from their homes. 10. Now, as then, the main difficulty resides in the fact that Cyprus is still caught in the net of the strategic plan of imperialist preponderance in that part of the Mediter- ranean. Thus attempts are made to dismember it and to prevent its peaceful reunification as a State whose independence, territorial integrity and foreign policy of non-alignment were respected. To ignore this fact would be tantamount to disregarding one of the most important elements of the so-called quesHon of Cyprus. 11. For Cuba, which for almost 20 years has been suffering from an immoral blockade policy ii" \posed by the Government of the United States, which has had to repulse military aggression fmanced and organized by imperialism, and which has even run the risk of thermonuclear war in order to preserve its revolutionary principles and its endeavour to build socialism, the fate of the Cypriot people cannot be a matter of indifference to us, as we have never been indifferent to the struggle of any people for its independence and freedom. 12. From the report of the Secretary-General it can be seen that despite intensive diplomatic activity, the situation has evolved little since the circulation of his report to the General Assembly at its thirty-second session [see AI331 348, para. 19]. Obviously, General Assembly resolutions 3212 (XXIX), 3395 (XXX), 31/12 and 32{15 remain un- implemented. Little progress has been made on their substantive aspects. 13. However, the statements by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Spyros Kyprianou, and other authoritative representatives of the Cypriot Government A/33/PV.46 14. The Conference of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non·Aligned Countries, which met in Belgrade in July of this year, clearly stated its views on the problem of Cyprus. That Conference's final Declaration deplored "the fact that part of the territory of Cyprus is under the occupation of foreign military forces" {see A/33/206, annex I, para. 72}; the Ministers reaffirmed their full support and solidarity with Cyprus and demanded "the immediate implementa- tion of the United Nations resolutions", more particularly General Assembly resolution 3212 (XXIX), already men- tioned, and S~curity Council resolution 365 (1974) {ibid, para. 73} .. the Ministers also called upon "all States strictly' to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integ- rity and non-alignment of Cyprus and to cease all foreign interference in its affairs ..." {ibid., para. 74}. 15. In order to bring this about it is essen~ia1.to ensure the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of foreign armed forces and any other military presence and the adoption of urgent measures aimed at the prompt return of all refugees to their homes and at ensuring respect for the human rights of all Cypriots, including the search for and counting of missing persons. 16. It is imperative to undertake negotiations based on the aforementioned United Nations resolutions. These negotia- tions must be undertaken on a basis of equality and must be conducted without foreign interference. If this is not done the situation which in effect has been threatening peace and security in the Mediterranean will be exacerbated and will create a potential hotbed of tension for the entire world. 17. In analysing the question of Cyprus we cannot ignore attempts to impose various unilateral measures, especially . those aimed at bringing about changes in the demograohic structure of the country. The report of the Secret"ary- General, while pointing out that it has not been possible to obtain specific information on this point, refers to it when giving figures for the periods immediately preceding and following the foreign military occupation of the island{see A/33/348, sect. fIll. 18. We should not be nisled. The foreign troops that have been in Cyprus since 1975 are .there against the sovereign will of that State, in flagrant violation not only of its rights but also of international norms and of resolutions which have been adopted by our Organization year after year. 20. The leaders of Cyprus have stated that Cyprus wishes to recover happiness for all its inhabitants by peaceful means. That is why it appeals to the United Nations; that is why it has always been in favour of undertaking negotia- tions under the auspices of this Organization. As evidence of this consistent line, President Kyprianou solemnly declared befor". the General Assembly the desirability of demilitarizing ihe country, dis:uming all Cypriots and making the security of all citizens the responsibility of a mixed Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot police force under the guidance, supervision and control of an inter- national United Nations force {22nd meeting, para. 47). 21. With every day that passes without our making progress towards a just and -equitable solution of the problem of Cyprus we face one more set-back for those who place their trust in our Organization to face and solve problems of this or of a similar nature. This is all the more dramatic in the case of small States which do not themselves possess suffic'.mt means with which to resist and defeat aggression by militarily more powerful countries of which they may be the victims. The logical consequence of this impotence is the persistence and recurrence.of armed conflicts and the maintenance of power politics, with all their consequent injustice. 22. However, the deep currents of history flow inexorably towards a world without exploiters and exploited, without aggressors and enslaved, without empires and colonies. All tht' action of the peoples is directed towards peace, independence, freedom and social progress. Therefore those who attempt to violate or break their will to freedom are moving against the tide of histcry. That is the lesson to be learned from the heroic struggle of those who fight today with the South West Africa People's Organization and the Patriotic Front for the independence of Namibia and Zimbabwe, respectively. There can be n6 other result of the heroic resistance of the people of Cyprus to the attempts to divide and dismember their country. 23. This, as pointed out by Foreign Minister Rolandis at the previous meeting, is the fifth consecutive year in which we have considered the situation of Cyprus. For Cuba, it is a matter of principle to express once again our staunch solidarity with the Cypriot people in defending tneir cause. Together with other members of the movement of non- aligned countries, we demand the unconditional and com- plete withdrawal of the foreign troops which today occupy the soil of Cyprus. We demand the most strict respect for its independence and territorial integrity. We call for the implementation without further delay of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council. We support every aspect of the Declaration of the Ministers for Foreign Mfairs of Non-Aligned Countries adopted at their meeting this year in Belgrade. 25. Life has shown us that no force, however powerful, can defeat a just cause. Cuba is convinced that the Cypriot cause is a just cause and therefore will triumph.

It is with a feeling of great concern and preoccupation that the delegation of Guyana joins in the consideration once again of the question of Cyprus-a concern and preoccupation born of the perpetua- tion of a human tragedy, with little indication of a general readiness to bring it to an end. 27. This is the fifth year since the events of 1974 that the General Assembly has been debating the question of Cyprus. Indeed, it was as early as 1974 that the Assembly set the basis for a just and lasting solution of the problem of Cyprus. In 1975 it noted with concern that four rounds of talks between the representatives of the two com- munities had not yet led to a mutually acceptable settle- ment, and reaffirmed the urgent need for continued efforts for the effective implementation of its resolution 3212 (XXIX) [see resolution 3395 (XXX)]. In 1976 and one year later, in 1977, the Assembly had cause to express regret over the prolongation of the crisis in Cyprus and the non-implementation of its 1974 resolution. In 1978, the situation in Cyprus continues to be a grim one. As the Secretary-General has said in his report on the work of the Organization: "Despite numerous efforts and contacts, it has not been possible to find an agreed basis for a meaningful resumption of the intercommunal talks, and the situation in the island has not impl.'Oved ...". [See A/33/1, sect.IIIJ 28. While the situation remains thus frozen, the sad reality is that a part of the territory in question is still under foreign military occupation; a refugee problem continues to take its toll of human suffering; there is a de facto partition of the island which compromises the indep'~ndence, ter- ritorial integrity and non-alignment of Cyprus, while its two communities are set against each other. 29. The prolongation of the Cyprus problem is therefore a matter that disturbs my delegation for more than one reason. For Guyana, among other things, there is on trial in Cyprus the ability of the Security Council to help small, militarily weak countries to maintain their sovereignty. The codefendants in that trial are those interests which seem less than anxious to bring a final solution to t.his problem. We shall be watching very carefully to see how the Council will emerge out of this trial. 31. An important aspect of the solution contemplated in the foregoing resolution is the question of dialogue, of negotiation, between the parties concerned. We note that between 1975 and 1977 there were six rounds of talks between the two communities. In this context we note also t:le guidelines agreed upon by the late President Makarios ,md Mr. Denkt~ concerning the constitutional and ter- ritorial questiCo' ~ of the problem of Cyprus. But the momentulT' rated in those contacts proved to be only short-lived 10 the feelings of optimism which they created soon faded. In the climate of mutual suspicion and mistrust between the two sides, no date has yet been fIXed for the resumption of those talks. 32. As my Foreign Minister declared in his address before this Assembly on 5 October last: "The present stale- mate ... serves the interests of aggression and occupation" [ibid., para. 193J. Perceptions of present intentions in- fluenced by past experiences are no justification for the perpetuation of the situation of stalemate. In the general debate an overwhelming consensus was perceived among the international community in favour of an early resump- tion of the intercommunal talks. Indeed, as the Secretary- General himself has said in his report: "Cyprus is a problem which ought to be soluble by peaceful negotiation" [see A13311, sect. IIIJ. 33. While the stand-off continues, attitudes harden, sus- picion and mistrust feed upon themselves, and the solution to the problem becomes so much. more difficult, with the inevitable consequences for peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean region. In order for the inter- communal ta~ks to be resumed, it is absolutely essential that there be a change of attitude. Suspicion and mistrust must be overcome; unilateral actions should be avoided which make difficult the creation of a climate propitious for such a resumption; and negative attitudes must give way to new, positive attitudes which truly assist the advance- ment of the negotiating process. In this connexion my delegation welcomes the proposal made by the President of the Republic of Cyprus at the last special session, on disarmament, for the total demilitarization and disarma- ment of the Republic of Cyprus.2 2 See document A/S-IO/AC.1{39. 35. Before concluding, I should like to reiterate my delegation's profound appreciation for the untiring efforts of the Secretary-General in thc very delicatc and difficult task assigned to him by the Assembly in the l11att~r of Cyprus.

The Gener~l Assembly is once again seized of the question of Cyprus, which has been the subject of consideration for so many years now. The deep concern expressed by the Secretary-General in his annual report on the work of the Organization over the lack of progress in. the solution of this problem is shared by us all. For, in the context of the political situation in the eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus crisis continues to cause serious anxiety. 37. The concern of my Government abuut this situation is fully understandable, having in mind the' geographical proximity of my country to a region affected by the existence of hotbeds of tension and conflict. In pursuance of its policy of peaceful coexistence and of fostering the process of detente the People's Republic of Bulgaria is deeply interested in the political solution of all inter- national problems which are a source of international friction. This applies to the problem of Cyprus as well. 38. The position of the Bulgarian Government on the Cyprus question is based on fIrm principles and has not been affected by short-term political considerations. It stems from its consistent policy of promoting peace and security in the region, co-operation and good-neighbourly relations with all nations in that area. As we have stated on other occasions, my country is too close to the area of conflict, and too keen to see a just and durable solution of the conflict worked out, to remain indifferent. 39. In our view, General Assembly resolution 3212 (XXIX), adopted unanimously and accepted by all the interested parties, provides both the fundamental principles and a viable framework for a solution of the problem under consideration. It calls upon all States to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-alignment of the Republic of Cyprus. That same resolution, expressing the will of the General Assembly, insists on the speedy withdrawal of all foreign troops and military personnel from the island and the cessation of foreign interference in the affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. seriou~ly to endanger peace and security, not only in the area but far outside it as well. All this cannot but raise justifiable concern. 4L Especially regrettable is the fact that in the course of the current year the resumption of the talks between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, which are of such importance for the peaceful solution of the Cyprus prob- lem, did not take place. The tireless efforts of the Secretary·General of the Unitep NaHons, in fulfilment of the mandate conferred upon him by the relevant resolu- tions of the Security Council and the General As.c;embly, proved to be of no avail. So we have ended up with no tangible progress either in the achievement of the main objective-that is, the comprehensive solution of the ques- tion-or even in the settlement of some subsidiary, though for the population of Cyprus substantially important, matters of a humanitarian and other nature. 42. We fully share the view that the lack of progress in the solution of the Cyprus conflict should not be used as a pretext in certain milieux to impose on Cyprus a settlement outside the framework of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council and in con- travention of the principles laid down in thosc resolutions. The attempts to take the Cyprus question out of the United Nations and to enforce a so-called solution attuned to the interests of a particular military organization manifest the disregard of their sponsors for the clearly expressed will of all Cypriots to preserve the t~rritorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus as a sovereign and independent State pursuing a policy of non-alignment. 43. My delegation is convinced that such efforts are directed against the common, legitimate and lasting in- terests of the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. In our view these interests are far more important than the temporary differences now existing' between the two communities. The fact remains that the island's population has for centuries lived in conditions of peace and under- standing. This fact is also a guarantee that currently existing difficulties ca~ and should be overcome by concerted efforts. . 44. We fIrmly believe that this problem can and ought to be resolved by political means through "meaningful" negotiations between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, as provided for in resolution 32/15 of the General Assembly. The Cypriots should be left to resolve by themselves the issues of the internal structure of their State, without any foreign interference. 46. We continue to attach great importance to the role of the United Nations as a catalyst in the efforts to arrive at a peaceful solution to this question and as a guarantor of the agreement which will be reached. Substantial additional possibilities are also offered, in our submission, by the proposal for the convening of an international conference on the Cyprus problem under the auspices of the United Nations. 47. The People's Republic of Bulgaria regards it as one of its important foreign policy tasks to contribute by every means within its power to the political solution of the Cyprus question. This constitutes an essential element of the consistent policy of the Bulgarian Government in favour of strengthening peace and international security and of expanding co-operation among nations in con- formity with the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter. Our stand on this matter was recently reaffirmed by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party and Chairman of the Council of State of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Todor Zhivkov, who, in a speech delivered in the city of Blagoyevgrad on 15 June 1978 stated, inter alia: <Cl should like to re-emphasize our immutable position of principle on the Cyprus question: the position of consistent solidarity with and support of the just cause of the people of Cyprus, for the preservation of the independence, territorial integrity and policy of non· alignment of the Republic of Cyprus, for the withdrawal of foreign troops and foreign military bases from the island, for the solution of the Cyprus question by peaceful means, through negotiations, in the interests of the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots." 48. The resolution of the Cyprus issue on this basis would undoubtedly correspond to the vital interests of all Cyp- riots and would be in the interests of peace and security not only in the eastern Mediterranean and in the Balkans but in the whole world as well. 49. Yesterday at the Special Political Committee's 24th and 25th meetings, we noted with satisfaction the readiness expressed by the representatives of the two Cypriot' communities concerning resumption of the intercommunal talks. We acknowledge this fact with certain hopes and expectations. From this basic position we proceed also to the consideration of the draft resolution on the question of Cyprus {A/33/L. 7j. In our view, this draft is in line with the previous resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council on this question and provides a viable basis for the urgent resumption of the negotiations in a

M the spokesman of the nine countries of the European Community I would like to reiterate our concern at the developmeGt of the Cyprus issue-or rather at the lack of progress towards a settlement of this problem. The question of Cyprus has become an item which recurs year after year on our agenda. Every year it is the 8ubject of a debate, and every year we adopt a resolution. Yet this has not at all improved the situation on the island, whete the problems persist without any sign as yet of a settlement. 51. We are grateful, however, that UNFICYP has con- tributed its share to maintaining peace in Cyprus, and we express our appreciation of that peace-keeping effort. 52. The nine members of the Community are afraid that the Cyprus item may become a matter of routine ritually discussed each year by the General Assembly, while the world gets more and more used to regarding this as one of the insoluble problems with which it has to live. The European Community and its nine member States are too closely linked with Cyprus, Greece and Turkey and take too keen an interest in that region to be able to accept without concem such a development, with all its risks and all the hardship it involves for the people of Cyprus. 53. It is the common view of the nine States, repeatedly expressed on earlier occasions, that only direct negotiations between the parties concerned can lead to a settlement of the Cyprus issue that guarantees the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus. The agreement reached in Nicosia in February last year3 has laid down substantial basic guidelines for negotiations between the two communities. The nine States continup. to believe that the possibilities for an agreed solution con- tained in these guidelines have not so far been fully exhausted. The United Nations encourages, supports and provides ~ framework for such negotiations, but it cannot offer any substitute for them. 54. Many efforts have been made to assist the parties in entering into serious negotiations. I refer in this connexion, above all, to the mission of the Secretary-General, who has spared no effort to bring the parties together for serious and concrete negotiations. We would like in this regard to express our full appreciation of tt,ose efforts. Unfortu- nately, the parties have not made fud use of the assistance thus offered them by the United Nations and the inter- natio~aI community. 55. The nine States call once again on the parties to get together in a spirit of mutual understanding and to recognize that only constructive co-operation can bring a lasting peace to the island and improve the lot of all Cypriots. To this end both communities should proceed without delay to negotiate within the framework of the agreed guidelines in order to arrive at a comprehensive and

The question of Cyprus, which has been before the Assembly for several years, is one of those issues to which my delegation has always attached prime imIX>rtance, because the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity and independence of a smaU defenceless country are jeop- ardized by a coalition of the forces of evil. How can one not feel a sense of frustration or not vigorously condemn the consistently defiant attitude of those forces of aggres- sion and domination with regard to the many resolutions of this Assembly and the Security Council on the painful question of Cyprus? 57. Because of its strategic geographical position the Republic of Cyprus has had to struggle to preserve its non-aligned status, but the NATO Powers have never concealed their sinister designs and are still seeking, by devious or indirect means, to appropriate the island. 58. My delegatjon listened attentively to the statement of the Foreign Minister of Cyprus in this Assembly on 6 November [45th meetingJ. Today, as yesterday, the Cypriot people, who have been the victim of violence, division and aggression, demand justice, the withdrawal of all foreign forces from their territory and, above all, an end to the Turkish invasion and aggression. 59. For five years the international community has constantly demanded the withdrawal of all those troops and an end to that unacceptable invasion. Taking advantage of the internal contradictions inherent in all such nations as Cyprus, the forces of evil have been making every effort to eliminate the State of Cyprus in its present form. The situation created in the island is characterized by military occupation, the establishment of Turkish settlements, the requisitioning of Cypriot goods, the exploitation of certain resources, imprisonment, deportation, the disappearance of detainees. All these acts, designed to confront the inter- national comm~ity with a series of faits accomplis, are the result of a policy of aggression from which both com- munities suffer equally. 60. The cause of peace in the eastern Mediterranean is not being served by the policy of the Turkish side. It runs counter to the pertinent resolutions of the General As- sembly and the Security Council, particularly resolution 3212 (XXIX), adopt~d unanimously on 1 November 1974 by the Members of the Organization, including Turkey. That resolution was endorsed by the Security Council without opposition in its resolution 365 (1974) of 13 December 1974. Those two resolutions, which were adopted unanimously, constitute an appropriate framework for a .peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Cyprus ques- tion. In view of the action taken by the Turkish side since . the adoption of those resolutions, a clear determination not to respect the terms of the two resolutions can be seen. 62. The various periodic reports of the Secretary-General on the situation in the island and the results of the six series of intercommunal talks clearly indicates that the Organi- I zation must concern itself increasingly with the question of Cyprus. The present situation in Cyprus is tense, and it would be deluding ourselves not to admit that. To the extent that Turkey does not wish to impl~ment this Organization's resolutions and to the extent that this situation is giving rise to insecurity and threatening peace, it is time that the appropriate measures provided for in the Charter were adopted in order to cope with the situation. My delegation would very much like to see a resumption of the intercommunal talks in order to find a political solution to the crisis. 63. The People's Republic of Benin, which is profoundly dedicated to the maintenance of international peace and security, reaffirms its support far and solidarity with the Republic of Cyprus and has become a sponsor of the draft resolution {A/33/L. 7J.

The course of our debates has confirmed that the peoples of the world are disturbed at the fact that the tragic events in Cyprus have not ceased, and they expect appropriate action from the world Organ- ization. 65. In his statement of 5 October 1978 at the thirty-third session of the General Assembly {22nd meetingJ the President of the Republic of Cyprus pointed out that the overwhelming majority of that long-suffering people is passionately determined to live and work in conditions of peace in a united, non-aligned country free from occupa- tion and without foreign military bases and troops. 66. However, as in the past, nothing decisive is being done to bring about the withdrawal of the foreign troops deployed in the island and to diminate the forei~l military bases in Cyprqs. Thousands of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots continue to endu~e material and moral hardship; thousands. of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots find themselves refugees in their own country. 67. As in the past, no decisive measures have been taken to put into effect the resolutions of the General Assembly .and the Security Council which provide for a just and lasting solution of the problem of Cyprus. Thus, the situation remains the same as last year in this respect. In other words, it has not proved possible to achieve real progress; in fact, there is no sign of any progress at all. 68. My delegation cannot fail to observe that the sover- eignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-aligned policy of Cyprus are in grave danger at this moment. We are witnessing with increasing alarm a number of acts and presumed intentions the implementation of which would not be at all conducive to a peaceful settlement of the question of Cyprus. 70. General Assembly resolution 3212 (XXIX) and Secu- rity CounciJ resolution 365 (1974), as well as subsequent resolutions, long ago marked out the path to a just, lasting and peaceful settlement of the problem of Cyprus. What is needed now is the implementation of those resolutions and in our opinion the implementation of the resolutions should, where necessary, be guaranteed by appropriate measures on the part of the Security Council. 71. One measure which would be conducive to an im- provement in the general situation would certainly be t.he return of all refugees to their homes. That would also facilitate further negotiations between the representatives of the two communities. 72. The German Democratic Republic supports the pro- posals calling for the tptal and immediate demilitarization of Cyprull, because they would be conducive to detente in the Eastern Mediterranean. That WQuld create more fn- vourable conditions for the attainment, through negotia- tions, of a settlement, which could result from a represen- tative international conference as proposed by the Soviet Union4 and supported by Cyprus. Unilateral attempts to bring about a settlement would thereby be thwarted and efforts to resolve the problem of Cyprus would be given new impetus. Recent history tells us that attempts at unilateral settlements only pour oil on the flames, above all because they do not take into account the interests of the peoples concerned. Practical steps necessary for the imple- mentation ,of the real and constructive proposals we have 4/bid., Twenty-ninth Year, Supplement for July, August and September 1974, document 8/11465. 73. The German Democratic Republic has for many years been linked by bonds of friendship with the Republic of Cyprus. Close bilateral relations exist between our States. A new expre~sion of this was the recent visit to the German Democratic Republic of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. During his visit an agreement on public health was signed between our two States. The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic, Mr. Erich Honecker, on the occasion of the visit of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, confirmed that the GermIDl Democratic Republic would continue, in full solidarity, to support the just anti-imperialist struggle of the peopl~ of Cyprus for a peaceful and democratic solution of the problem of Cyprus. 74. In conclusion, may I say that the German Democratic Republic shares the opinion of many States that the elimination of what has long been a hotbed of crises would be an important contribution to the cause of strengthening pe2te and security and the consolidation of the continuing process of international detente, and would be in keeping with the te~ ms of the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference.

This is the fifth consecutive year in which the General Assembly has had to take up the unresolved question of Cyprus in an effort to promote the solution of a problem that has kept the two communities of the island divided for a considerable length of time. Owing to obvious circumstances, [I number of General Assembly resolutions remain unimplemented. 76. Since 1974 the long-awaited solution of the question of Cyprus has suffered one set-back after another. Despite the renewed efforts of the United Nations, it has been possible only to register marginal results. Nevertheless, the international community continues to watch the develop- ments with close attention, and we believe that this year's debate on the issue will prove once again that it is the common duty of all of us here to play a most decisive part in promoting the earliest ~ossible solution of that question. 77. The HungarJan delegation considers it highly useful that the General Assembly should be dealing with the issue before us by taking a constructive and reasonable approach. In that spirit we are prepared to contribute, within our modest means, to the successful outcome of our deUber- ations. 78. While the events of the past year continued to focus attention on the question of Cyprus, we had some reservations concerning the possibility of substantial pro- gress. Early this year the Secretary-General of the United Nations undertook a major effort to give new impetus to a rapprochement between the positions of the parties directly involved, and my Government followed his undertaking with sympathy. The high-level meetings of some of the parties also gave some hope for a possible closing of the gap between the positions of the parties to the conflict. Those 79. At the same time it is more than unfortunate that attempts have been made to uphold ill-conceived strategic arrangements under which the very statehood of Cyprus is at stake. My Government has consistently spoken out against any outside interference or pressure to impose a solution of the question of Cyprus, since we firmly believe that it is for the Cypriot people alone to decide its own future. 84. We welcome the fact that both communities felt it advisable to address the Special Political Committee at this time. Let us hope that the General Assembly views this development as encouraging and positive for the outcome of our debate. 80. The experience of the past debates in the forums of the United Nations, as well as thel numerous resolutions of the conferences of non-g1igned countries, makes it clear that the community of nations, particularly those which follow the developments on Cyprus with unselfish interest, holds that an urgent solution is more desirable than ever. 85. In view of the foregoing, the Hungarian delegation reaffirms its full support for the non-aligned Republic of Cyprus. 'The independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of that non-aligned State must be respected scrupulously. We continue to stress that the outstanding domestic issues can be resolved only by the two commu- nities themselves through substantive and constructive negotiations. A just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus question must take into account the legitimate interests and the rights of both communities, the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots alike. 81. May I at this juncture express our full agreement with the position of the Conference of Ministers for Foreign Mfairs of Non-Aligned Countries, held in Belgrade last summer, regarding the question of Cyprus {see A/33/206. annex l, paras. 72-79J? As one of the co-founders of the non-aligned movement, Cyprus definitely needs and de- serves the full support of that movement. We continue to hold that non~ of us can remain indifferent to the long suffering of the Cypriot people and the partition of its island. 86. My delegation deplores any foreign interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. We wish to commend the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly defmitively calling for the cessation of foreign interference, and by the same token we again demand the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. 82. In reaffIrming our position of principle on the feasible solution of the question of Cyprus, we believe it necessary to put our views on record once more. The Government of the Hungarian People's Republic continues to attach the highest importance to the quest for a just and viable solution to the problem of Cyprus, a solution which, in our judgement, must be based on safeguarding the inde- pendence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-aligned status of the Republic of Cyprus. The relevant resolutions of the United Nations provide a solid and sound basis for such a settlement. We continue to lend our full support to the only viable means of resolving the outstanding issues, namely, the holding of talks between the two communities of the island. The international community has on several occasions expressed its conviction that the intercommunal talks provide the most appropriate means [.:>r the Turkish Cypriot community and the Greek Cypriot community to settle their long internal dispute. We expect the General Assembly to contribute to such efforts by reaffirming the well-established framework of settlement for the Cyprus problem. We are all aware of the highly complex issues involved and none of us expects a quick solution, but the 87. May we express our hope that the outcome of this year's debate on the Cyprus question will serve to open a new chapter in the rounds of negotiations aimed at settling the problem v:Jithout further delay. 88. The Secretary-General or' our Organization has con- tinued his dedicated efforts to bring. about the renewal of meaningful arid constructive negotiations .between the two communities. He therefore' deserves our deep appreciation and has our full confidence as he carries out his Increasingly difficult mission. We hope that the two communities will respond positively to the call for the resumption of substantive negotiations in the spirit of compromise. The meeting·rose at 12.25 p.m.