A/37/PV.121 General Assembly

37.  Question of Cyprus: report of the Secretary-General (concluded) I. Mr. MAUDAVE (Mauritius) (interpretation from Prerch): I should like, first of all, to offer my sincere condolences, and those of my country, to the mission of the ~Mongolian People's Republic, which has been dealt a cruel blow by the sudden death of our colleague, Mr. Tsogtyn Narkhuu. 2. Mr. President, we are meeting once again under your diligent guidance to consider, with the serious- ness that is incumbent on this Assembly, the problem which is posed by Cyprus: for itself, in that it is being torn asunder, and for the international community as well. 3. Although separated by the vastness of the Indian Ocean and the continent of Africa, my country has affinities with Cyprus. Our respective populations are complex and diverse, and therefore enriched by the intermixture of ancestral traditions, languages and religions, an intermixture which can also generate conflicts from within. We have known the same type of colonization. As we are situated at strategic points ofthe globe, we are at various times coveted by some, courted by others and sometimes thwarted in our legitimate aspirations to territorial integrity and sover- eignty. We are islanders and hybrids and are thus accustomed to paradox. At this Assembly session, Cyprus has brought us into the very midst of a paradox, the paradox of a heritage of 7,000 years of civilization which is incapable ofdressing a wound only a few decades old. The wisdom of this Assembly ought to be applied to the search for a solution to this stalemate. 4. The various documents which have been submitted to us by the two communities of the island and by the Secretariat indicate- that there have been abrupt . and feverish negotiations whose outcome remains un- certain. One might therefore wonder in the end if the very style of these debates and the way in which they are conducted, a~ well as the eloquent and idealistic content of our resolutions, have not contributed to making the outcome more remote. But the fact remains that we are facing a dilemma which has been besetting us for years, -for so long that it could ultimately generate hissitude and cynicism. .5. Sectoral opportunism, too, has given one group, with an agricultural tradition, the opportunity to close its ranks and strengthen its grip on the land, whiie NEW YORK * Quoted in English by the speaker, A/37/PV.121 I~ can even represent the price to he paid in order that the value systems of each spiritual family, of each community, may be preserved and find within themselves the sources necessary for their renewal." Let us enlarge upon this idea. The Cypriots are, as I said, islanders and hybrids. "Hybrid." means that they are potentially capable ofcultural transc~ndence. While cultural "cohabitability" entails ri~ks, at the same time it opens the way to a broader and more fruitful humanism. This is perhaps evident here in the calm of this Hall, but in the world outside this fact is often ill perceived. 13. The desire to be balanced now obliges me to make three briefremarks. Fear being a pooradviser and * Quoted in English by the speaker. 22. We believe that we have a responsibility to contribute to the questfor peace in anypartofthe world and, aware of that role, we have asked to speak in this debate. 23. We wish to express our profound respect for the people of Cyprus and our gratitude to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Mr. Nicos A. Rolandis, for his excellent statement [IJ6th meeting], in which he related the latest events that are occurring in his country, as well as the expressed will of the Gov~m- , ' ment which he SQ excellently represents to seek an answer to the problem by means of peaceful solutions and dialogue. 24. The intercommunal talks' have not made the expected progress; both communiti~s and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General agree with that a§sessment and about the gravity of the situation. One fundamental obstacle to the continuation of these talks is the occupation of40 per c~ntofthe territory of Cyprus by Turkish troops, an "Jccupation which has lasted since 1974. This constitutes a factor of force 25. It is necessary not only to provide a new impetus and to appeal to both communities so that, with renewed political wiil, they may make the necessary effort to pursue the talks in a constructive manner, but also to refer to the practical obstacles and once again to appeal to Turkey to withdraw its troops from the territory of Cyprus and desist from its attempts to change the demography ofCyprus. We must renew our support for the absolute right of Cyprqs to its sover- eignty and complete control over its territory and natural resources. 26. In this context and in short, we express our full support of the decisions adopted by the General Assembly, in particular resolution 3212 (XXIX), which was endorsed by the Security Council in its reso- lution 365 (1974), and we demand the immediate imple- mentation of those resolutions, which are the very essence and sole ~asis for the solution ofthis problem. We demand an end to the violation of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus. For that purpose, the General Assembly and the Security Council must take appropriate measures to end the presence of all foreign troops and ensure the return of all refugees to their homes. We condemn any measure designed to bring about changes in the demographic structure of the island, since the situation created by that kind of measure must not be allowed to influence the solution of the problem of the people of·Cyprus. . 27. Likewise, we should like to state quite clearly that we support the decisions adopted by the Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non- Aligned Countries, held at New Delhi from 7 to 17 March 1983, as well as other earlier decisions taken on the problem of Cyprus. We firmly support the people and Government of Cyprus, their'indepen- dence, integrity, national unity and policy of non- alignment. 28. We also support the talks between the Cypriot communities, and particularly the 10~point agreement reached in Nicosia on 19 ¥ay 1979 between the Presi- dent of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Kyprianou, and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Denkta~,l who, under the auspices of the Sec- retary-Geceral, at that time succeeded in arriving at viable agreements. In this connection, we shall con- tinue to support the moves which the Secretary-Gen- eral may make in this respect, in the hope that on this occasion maturity will win over intransigen~e. 29. We understand the difficulties that arise in any process ofpeaceful settlement, particularly whenforce is not eliminated from the context. Nicaragua, which is at present invaded and involved in an undeclared war waged against it by the United States,. is aware of the diffieulties of dialogue, which is the rational way of solving problems, but it believes, both in respect of its own situation and of the one we are dealing with, that despite the intransigence and mili- taristi{< policy 'of the adversaries, we must insist on the quest for a just and lasting peace, which can be ~ave deferred raising the issue again in the General