S/PV.1612 Security Council

The Security Council will now consider the question on its agenda. I wish to draw attention to the report of the Secretary-General contained in document S/10401 which is before the Council. 1. Adoption of the agenda. 2. Letter dated 26 December 1963 from the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/5488): Report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/10401). 5. As a result of consultations prior to this meeting, a draft resolution has been prepared (S/10441], copies of which have been distributed to the members of the Council. In this connexion I wish to mention that there is a slight omission. In operative paragraph 2 of the original text the words “and accelerate” should be inserted after the word “continue”. Operative paragraph 2 would accordingly read as follows: “Urges the parties concerned to act with the utmost restraint and to contmue and accelerate determined co-operative efforts . . .“. 3. Letter dated 12 December 1971 from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/10444). Adoption of the agenda G. It is my understanding that the Council wishes to take a vote first on this draft resolution and that I should call on speakers, in the order in which they are inscribed, on my list, after the vote. Accordingly, if there is no objection we shall now proceed to vote on the draft resolution contained in document S/10441, as corrected. The agenda was adopted.

May I interpose at this stage that I have the great pleasure of having our Secretary-General sitting on my right this morning. He has been away for so long for reasons all of us know well. We are happy to see him back with us, although he may not be with us for long. I wonder how I would have felt if he had not given me one morning to honour my Presidency by sitting on my right as he has been used to doing for other colleagues, I am happy you are here, Mr. Secretary-General, and I hope you will be with us at least for a few minutes before you withdraw. A vote was taken by a show of hands. The draft resolution was adopted by 14 votes to n0ne.l One member (China) did not participate in the voting.

I shall now call upon representatives who wish to speak in explanation of vote after the voting.

Thank you very much for your very gracious references to me. I am most grateful. I am sure you speak on behalf of the Council and I am most grateful to all the members of the Council also for having reflected their sentiments through the President. 8. Mr. CHEN Cho (China) (translation from Chinesej: With regard to the Cyprus question, the Chinese delegation is of the opinion that, fundamentally speaking, this is a question left over from imperialist colonial rule. We have consistently maintained that questions, of this nature should be settled in a reasonable way by the countries concerned through consultation on an equal footing. Letter dated 26 December 1963, from the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/5488): Report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/10401) 9. As for the question of the United Nations forces, the Chinese Government has always had its own principled

The representatives of Cyprus, Turkey and Greece, in letters addressed to the President, have 1 See resolution 305 (1971).

I give the floor to the representative of Cyprus.

Mr. President, first of all 1 should like to extend to you my best wishes in your capacity as President of the Security Council during a rather delicate and most difficult period when you have been called upon to preside over this highest body of the United Nations and of the world community. 13. The presence of the Secretary-General at this meeting fills us with extreme pleasure and happiness and we are glad to see him back in his office and at his duties. As representative of Cyprus, I think there cannot be a better occasion than this to express to him personally our deep appreciation and our gratitude for what he has been doing for Cyprus during all these difficult years, for the well-being of Cyprus, for peace in the area, as well as for all his efforts towards a just solution to the Cyprus problem in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles laid down in the resolutions of this Organization. He has been ready at all times to give advice, to direct, to guide us. His objectivity and his integrity are beyond any question and, as I said, I should like to take this opportunity, on behalf of my President, on behalf of the Government and people of Cyprus, to express to him our gratitude and our deep appreciation, to wish him all the best and a complete restoration to health and happiness for many years to come. 14. We hove heard a report that the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria has lost his life in an accident and we should like to express our regrets and our grief at this event, He was a friend of long standing and an outstanding statesman. 15. We meet today to consider the report of the Secretary-General in regard to Cyprus. Before I make any remarks on that, I would wish to congratulate the representative of Turkey 011 ilssuming the post of Foreign Minister of his country and I look forward to co-operating with him in our efforts to improve the r&ions between our two countries on the basis of equality and understanding. We have known each other for a long time. We have on many occasions found ourselves in direct opposition. We have had many quarrels and many arguments together, but I believe that we can make this acquaintance-although not so pleasant in the past-a pleasant one in the future. 16. We are fully conscious of the fact that the Security Council is in the middle of dealing with an acute crisis in the world. WC are fully conscious of the fact that members of the Council are exhausted, that they have been working hard and that they have been trying to achieve something on a specific issue which today appears to be, and is, the main crisis in the world-without in any way wishing to 17. The Security Council has been seized of the Cyprus problem since December 1963 and, after a long debate in the Council in February and March 1964, it adopted a resolution on 4 March 1964 1186 /1964)] which, while respecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus, provided for two basic objectives, It provided for a peace-keeping operation in Cyprus. It also provided for a peace-making machinery, because it was rightly considered that peace-keeping aIone is not enough if the causes which threaten peace are to be removed. Therefore the peace-keeping an,! the peace-making should go together. The peace-keeping operation in Cyprus has been going on for a long time, although at the time it was hoped that it would be a temporary affair; in fact, the first provision was for three months. From what we see in the report of the Secretary-General, this is the twentieth time that he is suggesting a renewal of the mandate of the Force, and since 1964 almost eight years have gone by. Despite certain faults, despite certain shortcomings-and it is not perhaps the proper time here to analyse and discuss them-despite some ambiguities regarding the terms of reference which from time to time gave rise to misunderstandings, on the whole the peace-keeping operation has been successful. It has been successful in the sense that it has been able to prevent the recurrence of fighting of a major nature and also it has at least done its best to contribute, perhaps without much success, as can be seen from the report of the Secretary-General before us, to the efforts for the normalization of the situation. I shall not deal any further with peace-keeping. I shall go into peace-making. 18. For the past few years many have quite legitimately been advising, urging and requesting us to do our best to solve the Cyprus problem. We have heard from many that this situation cannot. go on indefinitely, that the Cyprus problem must be solved. 19. It is very legitimate for those who contribute to the maintenance of the peace-keeping operation, either in terms of contingents or in terms of financial assistance, to be anxious to see the operation concluded. It is also legitimate for others who do not participate in the peace-keeping operation to be anxious to see the whole operation concluded, in view of the fact that as long as this situation does not end there still remains a threat to peace. 20. It is nai’ve, if I may so suggest, and it is unrealistic to believe that in the world of today, as I had occasion to emphasize earlier in the General Assembly and in the Security Council, we can take the view that we must learn to live with the problem. But when we hear the calls, the urging, when we hear of their anxiety and the sdvice that they give, and when they tell us, “Do your best to reach a 24. If we are going to build upon a basis of complicated, .VLZ’ gene& improvised arrangements, then we shall fail. If we try to build on sand, the structure will collapse. If we approach the Cyprus problem as a complicated problem and once again, therefore, try to give it a complicated solution, we shall fail again. 21. AS I said at the beginning of my statement, there are two elements to the resolution of 4 March 1964-the peace-keeping and the peace-making. What happened to the peace-making? I think that the Security Council, and I hope one day soon, will have to examine what happened to its peace-making effort. What happened to the peacemaking effort of the United Nations? What happened to the peace-making effort of the Mediator who was appointed by the Secretary-General in pursuance of that resolution? The mediation effort did not produce any results. The Mediator produced his report.* We were ready to accept it, and we so indicated and worked on that basis for a solution of the Cyprus problem. Unfortunately, it was not accepted by the other side. After that various efforts were made, but it is not enough to make efforts. What should be done is to make meaningful efforts, and meaningful efforts to get somewhere-not negotiation for the sake of negotiation, and not talk for the sake of talk, and not an exchange of views for the sake of exchanging views, nor negotiation for proIonging the situation, which usually results in complicating the issues further. We should have negotiations which would be meaningful and which would aim at something specific. I believe that the terms of reference which were Iaid down in the Security Council resolution of 4 March 25. The Cyprus problem can be solved if we approach it in its simplicity. These are the facts, and may I put it by way of questions, because if the questions are negatively answered, then the whole structure of my thinking cannot be argued any further. These are the questions: is Cyprus or is it not a Member of the United Nations? Is Cyprus or is it not, therefore, entitled to equal sovereignty as a Member of the United Nations? Should Cyprus be regarded as a second-class independent State? In the case of Cyprus, should intervention be allowed? Should the people of Cyprus not be left alone to decide how best they can solve their problems? 26. There are many other things I could mention, many other principles I could analyse. I could cite, I could list, I could refer to international documents and declarations adopted by the United Nations. I could refer to the Charter. But I will not do so, because my intention is not, at this stage, to open up a &bate on the substance of the issue. I simply want to emphasize that certain things must be accepted if we are to have a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem. To try to create and give the impression that Cyprus is under tutelage or that Cyprus is under the suzerainty of other States-something which was dismissed by the great leader of Turkey, Kemal Atatiirk, in the case of his own country-would not contribute towards a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem. 1964 were quite specific with respect to peace-making. They had been very properly analysed after long consultations by the United Nations Mediator, Mr. Galo Plaza. 22. As I have said, after that various other efforts were made. Apart from other efforts, there was the debate in the General Assembly, where a resolution was adopted (2077 (XX)/. I am sure that members of the Security Council are anxious to have resolutions implemented. It is very legitimate to put the question: why has that resolution not been implemented? Why have other resolutions not been implemented? Why has the good offices procedure of the Secretary-General, which was provided for in the Security Council resolution of December 1967 /2## [I967)] and which was adopted after a serious crisis, not been meaningfully utilized? 27. Cyprus is in a very sensitive area of the world, and a peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem would be to the benefit not only of the people of Cyprus but of international peace and security as well. We have been trying for the last three years to see what we could do as far as resolving the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem. The Cyprus problem has two aspects, the internal and the external. We have been holding talks in Cyprus between the representatives of the Government of Cyprus and the representatives of the Turkish Cypriots. Those talks have been going on for three years. Unfortunately, there have been no results. At the end we found out that there were important issues upon which we could not agree. 23. Again, procedure is not enough. If we are going to llave a solution of the Cyprus problem, certain things-and at the end of my statement I shall make an announcement-must be accepted realistically. That must be done if we are to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem and if the / 2 official Records of the Security Council, Twentieth year, Supplement for January, February and March 1965, document S/6253. 28. What should be done next, is the question which arises. Should ‘we leave it at that? No, we should not leave it at that. But bearing in mind what I said before, it is not enough to provide for a procedure, it is not enough to agree to talk. There must be the determination, there must be “The presence at United Nations Headquarters of the Foreign Ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Turkey and of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus made possible an exchange of views with the Secretary- General on steps that might usefully be taken to facilitate the search for a settlement of the long-term problems of Cyprus. As a consequence of these conversations the Secretary-General made a suggestion designed to reactivate and make more effective the intercommunal talks in Cyprus. Although certain aspects of this suggestion did not prove immediately acceptable to all the parties concerned, the proposal as a whole still seems to the Secretary-General to provide a new basis for achieving the ends which all the parties have in mind. For this reason the Secretary-General feels that it may be useful to put his suggestion in writing for the convenience and continued consideration of the parties. “The Secretary-General’s suggestion is that with a view to facilitating the future conduct of the intercommunal talks, his Special Representative in Cyprus, Mr. B. F. Osorio-Tafall, should, in the exercise of the Secretary- General’s good offices, take part in the talks between the representatives of the two communities. It is also suggested that the Governments of Greece and Turkey should each make available a constitutional expert who would attend the talks in <an advisory capacity.” [See S/l 0401, para. 79. / 29. When this suggestion was put to us formally by the Secretary-General we expressed a number of reservations, which I should have no difficulty in reporting here in a summary form. 30. First of all, it has been an established practice that the talks in Cyprus on the Constitution of Cyprus should be, as they have been for the last three years, between the Cypriots themselves. There was a question of principle involved. Second, we felt that this formula, or this procedure, might possibly create problems if differences of opinion arose in the course of the talks. For these two basic reasons we have expressed serious reservations regarding the participation of experts from Greece and- Turkey in the constitutional talks in Cyprus. I had occasion to discuss this several times with the Secretary-General before his illness, and since his illness with his colleagues in the Secretariat. 32. Of course, the task of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus, who will participate ia the talks, will be a rather difficult one. He will have to assist US to find a way out of the deadlock, because the purpose is not to build on the deadlock, and the purpose is not to complicate matters further. 33. Despite all our reservations, we are ready to listen to the constitutional advice of the constitutional experts fronl Greece and Turkey who will attend the talks in an advisory capacity, as stressed by the Secretary-General. 34. We may be accused of deviation from accepted practice. Perhaps it will be said that, with the possible exception of colonies.under foreign rule, since the eight. eenth or early nineteenth century there has not been a case of a constitution of an independent country being worked out in co-operation with others. But we accept the proposal of the Secretary-General as contained in paragraph 79 of his report. I repeat, our reservations were grave and serious, and we have informed both the Secretary-General arld members of the Council, in our individual contacts, of tllese reservations. 35. Let us however also try this method, on the understanding that it does not create or does not implicitly create a precedent. We expect a great deal in this context, I may add, from the participation of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the talks in the exercise of the Secretary-General’s good offices, as emphasized in the aide-mkmoire handed to the three Governments by the Secretary-General. 36. But there is another pertinent paragraph in the report of the Secretary-General, which reads as follows: “I should like here to add that it would seem to me to be appropriate, and indeed most desirable, at tllis juncture, when the United Nations has been involved in this problem for so many years, and with considerable expenditure both of effort and resources, that the Security Council should become more actively involved in assisting the parties in the search for a solution to the Cyprus problem. On some of the basic issues it seenis lo me that the Council’s advice, guidance and new initias tives, of course with the agreement of the parties, would be a reassuring and constructive element in their efforts to reach a settlement. It would be, of course, for the Council itself to consider how best it might play such a role.” [Ibid., paru. 103.1 37. Having accepted the proposal of the Secretary-General as set forth in paragraph 79, to which I have referred, this becomes even more pertinent. It becomes more pertinellt in the sense that we are accepting this proposal of the Secretary-General in the Security Council and in pursuance of the resolutions of the Council, and also of the resolution adopted today, which “Urges the parties concerned to 8Cl with the utmost restraint and to continue and accelerate 38. And having said that, I would like to emphasize one thing which is of paramount importance. For reasons which it is not necessary to analyse and enumerate once again-we have done that repeatedly before the Security Council on several occasions-the Government of Cyprus has put its faith in the Security Council; the Cyprus problem is within the framework of the Security Council. The Security Council has been seized of the Cyprus problem since the crisis of 1963 came about, and we are working for the implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council and for the attainment and the achievement of the purposes of the Security Council, Any attempt to solve the Cyprus problem in a way which is unacceptable to the vast majority of the people of Cyprus, will not only find us ready to oppose it with all the means at our disposal, but I trust that it would find the Security Council also opposed. Having said that, I do not wish to indicate that there is going to be such an effort. I hope there is not. But in any case, Cyprus is a very small country. It is in a very sensitive area. It is one of the smallest Members of the United Nations. Therefore, it is only proper to humbly remind the Security Council of its responsibilities towards Cyprus. 44. While talking of UNFICYP, it is with emotion and profound sadness that I should like to recall the memory of Ralph Bunche whose untimely death has deeply grieved us all and constitutes a great loss for our Organization. Mr. Bunche’s selfless dedication to the cause of peace, conciliation and entente, his unswerving loyalty to the ideals of the Charter, assured him a world-wide recognition, appreciation and admiration. We also remember him because of his efforts concerning the conciliation in Cyprus. I extend our condolences to his bereaved family, 45. I would also like to express my sincere condolences to the Bulgarian delegation and nation at the untimely and j tragic death of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. We have friendly and good relations with that country. I knew him personally. It is a loss for the countries which have maintained friendly relations with Bulgaria. 46. I will now comment on the three principal topics in the report: the extension of the mandate of UNFICYP, the daily circumstances of life between the two coqmunities, and, thirdly, the intercommunal talks.

I thank the representative of Cyprus for his statement, particularly for his reference to me. I call on the representative of Turkey, 47. First, the extension of the mandate of UNFICYP which appears as the immediate task before the Council, as indeed was concluded by the adoption of the resolution. The Secretary-General recommended an extension for a period of six months. My Government agreed with his recommendation and we are glad the Council acted promptly on that recommendation.

Let me begin by thanking the members of the Council for their courtesy in inviting me to appear here. The Council has held more than the ordinary number of meetings this month. Mr. President, we observed with admiration your patience, your objectivity, ybur sagacity of both heart and mind, so sorely needed on these trying occasions. You have inspired the discussions with a sense of responsibility, with a sense of fairness, with a sense of compromise, and a sense of expeditiousness, warranted by the gravity of the problems. We will follow your inspiration, We will be brief. We will speak to the point. We will seek to promote the means to a peaceful agreement as required by the task before us today. 4X. With regard to my second topid, the Secretary-General in his report states: “Although there has been no recurrence of fighting, there has been a marked increase in tension and in the number of provocative incidents, and this has prevented progress towards a return to more normal conditions.” [S/10401,para. 2.1 49. The Council does not need to be reminded that it is the Turkish community that continues to labour under greater pressure and greater deprivation in its daily life. Nearly 20,000 Turkish Cypriots still remain displaced and the whole community for the eighth year continues to subsist under extremely trying conditions. Unfortunately, as stated by the Secretary-General in part III of his present report, the expectations expressed in the previous report about improvements have not materialized. The rehabilitation of the displaced persops has not progressed. The supply of electricity and water has not improved. Turkish civil servants of the Republic of Cyprus are still denied their salaries from the public treasury. The Turkish Cypriots are 41. Customarily, the frame of the debate on Cyprus has been cast by the Secretary-General’s report. We will follow the precedent with pleasure, and with appreciation of the Secretary-General’s invaluable contributions. Without his sincere endeavours, without his humanitarian approach, the intercommunal strife in Cyprus could have engulfed the region in turmoil and bloodshed. His dedication will always be remembered and cherished by all of us. 42. I would like to express my personal feelings of I-sappiness at seeing our eminent Secretary-General recovered from his recent illness and taking part again in the work of our Organization. 50. Now I come to my third topic. Launched more than three years ago, the intercommunal talks have provided a channel of serious communication between the two communities and have served as an outlet for tension. 51. In this connexion, I would like to quote the Secretary-General. In his report he states: “I remain convinced that the best way of achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem is through a negotiated agreement between the two communities on its constitutional aspects. On the other hand, I have come to the conclusion that the intercommunal talks in their present form have reached an impasse which cannot be overcome without some new impetus being given to them. Two considerations have led me to believe that it is possible to reactivate these talks. First, all the parties have agreed that the intercommunal talks should continue in modified form with a view to promoting the search for a solution of outstanding problems; and secondly, the discussions between the Governments of Greece and Turkey have recently led to joint efforts by them aimed at reactivating the intercorrununal talks.” [Ibid., para. 99.1 52. Although the talks have not yielded a positive result, still they provide some grounds for optimism. The Secretary-General in part V of his report has given full information’ about his endeavours to reactivate the talks. He has indicated the acceptance in principle of his suggestions by all the parties concerned+ Speaking for my Government, I can say that I am confident that the continuation of these contacts with the Secretary-General on this matter by the parties will SOOJ produce a consensus upon which the talks may be resumed. 53. In this context, Turkey and Greece, motherlands to the two ethnic communities living in Cyprus, which shared the privilege of bringing about the independent bicommunal Republic of Cyprus in 1960, share also a responsibility in the search for permanent peace and stability. Indeed both countries are entrusted with moral and contractual obligations towards their respective communities. In fact, strengthened by a denominator common to both, in the search for a permanent and just solution, they can be most effective in promoting and speeding the common objectives of all. 55. In a week we shall reach the ninth anniversary of the tragedy of Cyprus, with the sight of a peaceful and agreed solution still eluding us. We have witnessed enough suf. fering, fears and tears, blood and thunder in Cyprus. It is high time that tears and fears were replaced by joy and hope and that the certainty of peace, security and happiness replaced the dark clouds of yesterday. It is high time the communities began to co-operate on works or development rather than continue to watch each other as enemies from different camps. That is not difficult to achieve; it merely requires that the realities of the Cyprus problem be faced and accepted by all parties with civilized courage. 56. It is my Government’s hope, therefore, that as we enter the ninth year these endless and futile discussions on semantics will be set aside and that the realities and past experience which constitute the concrete elements in this matter will be tackled realistically. The problem before the parties concerned is the exploration of the possibilities of reshaping an existing Constitution, having regard to the desires and the requirements of the parties as well as to the realities of Cyprus. If slogans are set aside, abstract concepts abandoned and political aims not compatible with permanent independence forgotten, peace may be found in a short time, to the joy of all of us, and I hope 1972 will be a year of peace for Cyprus as well as for all mankind. 57. Speaking as a member of the Turkish Government, I want to assure this Council that my Government’s decision and action on Cyprus, as indeed on all international problems, will continue to rest on a sense of responsibility for international peace and security, on a sense of understanding for international cohesion guided by a spirit of reasonableness and fairness, based on the law and justice which underlie the Charter of the United Nations. 58. As I said at the beginning of my statement, I have no intention of taking up the valuable time of the Security Council. 1, believe that the points I have made are sufficient to show the situation as it exists now and also to express and underline our hopes for the future. 59. Before concluding, I should like to say that, althot$ I may differ on some points with what was said by the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Mr. Kyprianou, nevertheless I should like to thank him for his kind words about lYSe[f and my new post. 60. I hope that the search for a peaceful solution WU not be set aside and that, as I have stressed in my statement, determined efforts will continue. I think that if the Turkish community, which is one of the parties in this diffielllf problem, can be convinced of the goodwill of the Greek

We were happy to see U Thant with us this morning. Our sincerest wishes went with him during his recent illness, and we trust that he will enjoy a complete recovery. 63. We also wish to express our deep sorrow at the tragic death of the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria. He worked with us to achieve first the normalization and then the strengthening of ties between our two countries. 69. Having given our immediate and unconditional agreement we can now only hope that a new phase in these constitutional talks can be embarked upon soon, in a renewed spirit of goodwill. But in negotiations of this nature, there must be no victor and no vanquished. We must never lose sight of the fact that the two parts of the population have to live together. 64. Once again we have to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the United Nations operation in Cyprus covering the period 20 May to 30 November 1971 [S/10401/. As in the past, it gives us a clear and precise picture of developments in the area we are discussing and of the constructive role the United Nations Force continues to play in Cyprus. 70. I do not intend in this statement to enter into the substance of the talks between Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash. But it is necessary, perhaps even useful, to point out that paragraph 70 of the report is incomplete when it states that Mr. Clerides has said that he is willing to accept separate authorities for communal affairs. He went much further in his proposals regarding local administration. The Greek Government felt that the proposals submitted by Mr. Clerides were constructive and could constitute the solid basis of an agreement. There are accordingly also good reasons to insist that the dialogue be resumed, and to hope it will be successful. 65. I do not intend to dwell on that part of the report that deals with the internal situation in Cyprus in the course of the past six months except to express the satisfaction of my Government at the fact that, generally speaking, calm has reigned in the island during that period. For that, the contribution of the Force was valuable, and it is bearing in mind the great usefulness of its presence that Greece has supported the extension of its mandate for a new six-month period. We will continue to contribute to the expenses of UNFICYP as far as our possibilities allow. Our contributions to date have gone beyond $10 million, 71. As I have just said, the Nicosia talks are the procedure most likely to result in an agreement embodying the expressed will of the population of Cyprus itself, particularly after the failure of the mediation called for in the Security Council resolution of 4 March 1964. Greece agreed to the mediation attempt and we pinned our hopes on it, as the Secretary-General points out in paragraph 109 of his report. We also accepted the final report of the Mediator, Mr. Galo Plaza. It was in 1965 that the opportunity of finally reaching a solution was allowed to pass. We do not want the new opportunity offered by the talks between the representatives of the two parts of the population of Cyprus to be lost too. It is for that reason that we should like to see the Council adopt the suggestion of the Secretary-General as contained in his aide-mCmoire of 18 October, since it will allow the two parties to resume their talks. The Security Council would thus be encouraging the parties along the right lines. 66. In Greece we have always been in favour of a p:aceful solution of the problem of Cyprus, and a peaceful solution can only be devised in an atmosphere of calm and peace. 67. Another essential element is unquestionably the goodwill, the desire of the parties to arrive as soon as possible at a just and equitable solution in keeping with the spirit of our day and of the Charter of the United Nations. Thus the time factor in the talks between Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktash in Nicosia was very important. Members of the Council wil1 recall that I have repeated this opinion at each of its meetings. I am the first to regret that the prediction I made in November 1969 has turned out to be accurate. At that time I stated that lack of progress in the Nicosia dialogue might lead to a hardening of positions and make a solution more difficult. 68. The Secretary-General, fearing the effects of the staIemate in which the conversations found themselves at the end of this summer, addressed to the parties concerned his aide-m6moire of 18 October 1971, which appears in paragraph 79 of the report. The Greek Government replied affirmatively. In accepting the contents of U Thant’s memorandum as a whole, my Government was motivated by the following reason: it shared the concern of the Secretary-General and his desire to see the intercommunal 72. We have read with deep regret that the report before IIS is the last one that U Thant will be submitting on the r!uestion of Cyprus as Secretary-General. As in other regions, in respect of other problems, U Thant has struggled unremittingly for the restoration of peace in Cyprus and its maintenance in the neighbouring area. He was fortunate in being surrounded by distinguished colleagues both here at 73. In thanking you, Mr. President, for allowing me to speak, may I also be allowed to extend to our colleague, Mr. Baytilken, our warmest congratulations on his appointment as Foreign Minister of his country. I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Bayiilken on various occasions over the years, and I am confident that in his new and highly responsible post he will contribute positively to the solution of the problem before the Council.

I have just learned at this very meeting, with the greatest regret, of the death of the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria. On behalf of the members of the Security Council may I e,xtend my condolences to the Government of Bulgaria as well as to the bereaved family of the late Foreign Minister. May his soul rest in peace.

As the representative of a European country enjoying cordial relations with Bulgaria, may I express Belgium’s deep sadness on learning of the tragic death of the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria. 76. On behalf of my Government and of the Permanent Mission of Belgium, I wish also to present our most sincere and cordial congratulations to Ambassador Baytilken, the new Foreign Minister of Turkey. The relations between our two countries are very close and trusting, and I am convinced that under his auspices these relations will improve further. 77. Once again the Security Council is asked to prolong for a further period of six months the mandate of the United Nations Force in Cyprus. My delegation voted in favour of the Council’s resolution because we share the views and the arguments expounded in part VIII of the Secretary-General’s report on the United Nations operation in Cyprus for the period 20 May to 30 November 1971, 78. While it is true that this report contains certain encouraging elements when compared with the last one, such as the fact that “UNFICYP has suffered no casualties attributable to intercommunal incidents” (S/10401, para. Ilj and the relative stability in the number of incidents, it nevertheless reflects the disquiet and apprehensions of impartial eyewitnesses at the deterioration of the general situation in Cyprus. Paragraphs 94 to 97 leave no doubt regarding the aggravation of the tension between the two communities on the island. After examining developments during the period under review the Secretary-General states: “ a relative, though superficial, calm has been maintained. (UNFICYP) , . + has been able to achieve only limited progress in the normalization of conditions in the also that the Security Council might take a more active re]e in assisting the parties in their search for a solution to the problem of Cyprus. 80. With regard to the maintenance of calm, my delega. tion has every confidence in the efficiency and conscien. tiousness of the officers and men of the United Naticrrs Force who, since 1964, have contributed decisively to the restoration of public order and who have done every&g in their power to prevent incidents from leading to claslres. 81. Furthermore, the efforts to maintain order can be successful only if, at the same time, the intercomnrurrs1 talks emerge from their present stalemate. My Government strongly hopes that Mr. Clerides and Mr. Denktaslt v/ill resume their talks and compose their differences on ttre local administration and on the guarantees of the indepen. dence of Cyprus. 82. Pending an over-all settlement, the role the Secretary General would like to see the Security Council play secnu to us at this point less important than the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. The latter is not asked to stand as a mediator between the parties, but by his presence and authority to encourage them to continue in their search for a solution, and themselves to find the compromises and the accommodations without which no settlement is possible. 83. It is against this background that my delegation suppor,s the suggestion in paragraph 79 of the report of tire Secretary-General. The approach and the method suggested for speeding up the talks between the two communities, both by their extension and by the presence of the Special Representative in Cyprus, we believe offer a realistic basis for consultations leading to a solution acceptable to the Government and people of Cyprus. It was also in this spirit that my delegation viewed the hope expressed by the Secretary-General in the first part of paragraph 103 of his report. If in the course of this debate members of the Council are ready to give their support to the suggestion in paragraph 79, then I am convinced that in the present circumstances and as of this moment we will have assisted the parties in their search for a solution to the problemof Cyprus. X4. May I take this opportunity to pay tribute to tire tireless perseverance of the Secretary-General and his Representative in Cyprus in efforts to avoid the threat te international peace and security inherent in the situation c* the island. 85. My Government has taken note of the financial implications of the United Nations operation in Cyprus. As in the past, Belgium will not fail to make a VduntarY contribution to help cover the operating expenses of t1ra Force. 93. It is on this understanding that Japan has continued to support the peace-keeping operations in Cyprus by voluntary contributions and other appropriate means.

First of all I should like to congratulate Mr. Bayiilken on his assumption of the high office of Foreign Minister of Turkey.

First of all, our congratulations upon the return amongst us of the Secretary-General, after a long absence during which serious illness kept him to his bed. We offer him our sincerest wishes for perfect health so that he may long continue to make his contribution to the United Nations in which such great hopes are vested. 88. My delegation believes that it is necessary to extend further the mandate of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus for six months as proposed by the Secretary-General in his report [S/10401/. However, our support for this extension is not without some feeling of reluctance. This is the twentieth time that the Security Council has taken a similar decision for extension and we are aware that there is a justifiable criticism directed against the apparently indefinite perpetuation of the Force. 9.5. My delegation has further cause for satisfaction in the news that our distinguished friend and colleague, Ambassador Bayiilken of the Republic of Turkey, has been appointed to the high office of Foreign Minister of his country whose spokesman he now becomes. We have had the opportunity to know him, and we know that this event may foreshadow a definitive solution to the problem of Cyprus, in view of the tact, dexterity and high political and diplomatic skill he has always displayed. We wish him every success, not only in his duties but in the broader framework of his country’s foreign policy and the multilateral dipIomacy of the United Nations. 89. I should like particularly to draw the attention of the parties concerned to the last part of paragraph 3 of the resolution adopted by the Council just now, which approves the extension of the stationing of the United Nations Force in the expectation that by the end of the mandate, namely 15 June 1972 “sufficient progress towards a final solution will make possible a withdrawal or substantial reduction of the Force”. My delegation wishes to urge all the parties concerned to continue and accelerate determined efforts in a spirit of compromise and statesmanship to fulfil this hope of the Security Council. 96. We have had an opportunity on several occasions to speak of this problem of Cyprus. We do not believe that it is impossible for two communities, belonging-originally, of course-to two different nations, to build a composite nation and to arrive at a Cypriot identity, which should be the end result of the present situation. 90. The Secretary-General said in his report that during the last six mc *ths tension between the two communities in Cyprus has not only persisted but has even increased. My delegation cannot but view this situation with certain misgivings. At the same time, my delegation welcomes and highly appreciates the Secretary-General’s initiative in trying to find a constructive clue to break the present deadlock in the intercommunal talks. It is an encouraging sign that, in the course of a series of consultations which the Secretary-General had with the representatives of the Governments concerned, a considerable degree of meeting of minds has been achieved, including the idea of his Special Representative’s participation in the talks in the exercise of the Secretary-Crneral’s good offices. My delegation hopes that the initiative taken by the Secretary- General will give impetus to the future conduct of the intercommunal talks towards a mutually acceptable accommodation. 97. We are therefore in favour of a continuous and fruitful search for a political entity of the Cypriots, be they of Turkish or Greek origin. To reach this objective, it is essential that the leaders of the two communities do their utmost to keep people calm on both sides. This could be brought about through what I might call a social and cultural symbiosis of the two communities which would in fact be the basis of the complementarity which is so necessary between the two communities, Turkish and Greek. 98. It is true that the minority community might have the feeling that Vergil expressed in the Aeneid, when he said “Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes” (“I fear the Greeks, even when they bear gifts”). But I do not believe this feeling can be any obstacle when the two communities know one another so well. And so, if there are constructive proposals from the Greek community, those pro?oqaIs should be taken into account, respected and implemented. However, it seems to us that what should prevail ;s consideration for individual and personal values before all else. It is this personal and individual criterion that should be applied, posts and responsibilities being granted, without necessarily-and certainly not automatically-having regard to the number as such. What counts is individuals. It is in this form that authentic democracy can be conceived. The 91. My delegation would like to emphasize that we highly value the United Nations presence in Cyprus, one of the successful examples of peace-keeping operations. No one will deny that It is because of UNFICYP’s presence, that relative calm has been maintained in Cyprus. The discipline and dedication which the UNFICYP personnel of all categories-military or civilian-has shown for more than seven years are indeed remarkable and deserve particular praise and appreciation. We also wish to take this opportunity to express our warm gratitude to the Governments which have patiently shouldered the burden of providing the contingents for the peace-keeping operation. 99. As the Secretary-General says in his report, we feel that the situation in Cyprus is an example on which the United Nations can congratulate itself on its work to maintain peace. It would be very desirable for this example to be followed in other areas where the Security Council is obligated to try to maintain peace and play a conciliatory role among the parties. 100. In a word, we think that it is for the two communities to do everything in their power to build a single fatherland: Cyprus. That should be their main objective. We also believe that the present calm could serve as a point of departure for a definitive solution of the problem. Hence we hope that in a few months’ time the parties concernedwhether at the governmental Ievel, that is to say, the leadership, or at the level of the Cypriot communities-will find a solution to the present situation, which would make it unnecessary for the United Nations to leave in Cyprus the troops that have been stationed there since 1964. 101. It is in conformity with the above principles that the Government of the Republic of Burundi has authorized us to vote for the resolution, expressing the hope that a definitive solution-which should before all be worked out and implemented by the Cypriots, as Cypriots-will be found so that the United Nations may concentrate its resources on other problems which are just as important and urgent as that of Cyprus.

I should like to associate my delegation with the expressions of regret on the occasion of the death of the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria. 103. I should also like to join with you, Mr. President, in saying how glad we were to see the Secretary-General with us at the beginning of this meeting. 104. I want to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his report, which, as he has himself noted, is the last which he will present to us on the United Nations operation in Cyprus. This makes it all the more regrettable that he is unable to report progress towards a solution of the difficulties which prevailed in that island. That, however, is certainly no fault of his. This report and its predecessors make abundantly clear how dedicated an effort the Secretary-General and his advisers have made in trying to promote a settlement. 105. Once more there is no improvement to report in the situation on the island. Indeed, rather the reverse is true, since the Secretary-General’s report notes a deterioration in the situation and an increase in tension between the two communities. Fortunately, although there have been a number of intercommunal incidents, some of them serious, a comparative calm has been maintained thanks largely to the efforts of UNFICYP, to whose commander and men, as 107. What is perhaps, however, even more serious than Ihe deterioration in the situation in the island is that, ss tlie Secretary-General has made clear, there is no progress to report in the search for a settlement. The intercommunal talks remain stalled. In this tonne.xion I should like to repeat what my delegation has said before. I have just said that my Government is willing to continue its support of the operation for ,a further period of six months, but czhr acceptance of the burden of support for UNFICYPinu~ee and in money cannot be taken for granted. Doubtless the same is true for other contributors. 108. Nor must it be assumed that we shalI be wilting to continue it indefinitely. This is both because of the implications for the Cyprus question itself and because it would be regrettable if the experience of UNFICYP were to have the result of undermining confidence in the effectiveness of a peace-keeping operation as a tool in dealing with problems of international conflict. The importance of making progress towards a political settlement in Cyprus thus has relevance beyond the confines of the Cyprus question itself. 109. Nor is this impatience confined to the contributors. I believe that there is a growing and general belief that it is high time that this particular problem was solved and that it has been on the agenda of the Security Council for far too long. It is, I think, with very much the same thought in mind that our Secretary-General has suggested that ths Security Council might become more actively involved in assisting the parties in the search for a solution to their problem. It is neither unreasonable nor surprising that he should have made this suggestion. In present circumstances, however, we believe that it would be premature to etsbarl; upon such an exercise and that it is better, as far as the Security Council is concerned, to do as we have done and renew the mandate of UNFICYP. This is because in present circumstances we still believe that the intercommunal talks provide the best hope for progress. As the Secrelay. General has again emphasized in his report, in the last resort a solution to the difficulties can only be reached through arrangements directly negotiated between the parties. \Ve also believe that it is too pessimistic and too SONI 10 conclude that there is no hope of reviving the intefi communal talks. 110. But while suggesting that wider consideration of the matter by the Security Council is premature, I wish also LO emphasize that it is indeed essential that the interconlmUI~31 talks should be given new life. We therefore wlh- 117. Once again the Council has met to consider the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus. Once again we have agreed to recognize that we should prolong the United Nations Force there; in the course of the last six months, as in the past, that Force has prevented new confrontations and incidents which, without its presence, might have jeopardized the precarious calm that reigns in the island. Once again, on this point, we must pay tribute to those whose mission is to direct these efforts of conciliation, to that “model team” to which I referred last year, and I specifically refer to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Osorio-Tafall, and to the Commander of the Force, Major- General Prem Chand. 112. In this connexion, I think we can draw some encouragement from the statement this morning by the Foreign Minister of Cyprus. Once talks are resumed, we hope that flexibility will be shown in working for a solution to the outstanding substantive problems which divide the two communities. 113. I should like to make one or two further points. First, we join with other delegations in congratulating the representative of Turkey on his translation to a new sphere of activity. We are confident that in his new post, as in his previous one, he, for his part, will do all he can to encourage and pramote a successful dialogue in Nicosia. 118. Once again we have to recognize that the presence of the Force, whose usefulness in the prevailing circumstances in Cyprus cannot be challenged, must not be considered permanent, leading to a crystallization of a situation which satisfies no one, and which therefore increases the risks of confrontation between the communities. 114. Secondly, I should like again, as indeed the representative of Greece has done, to stress the importance of the intercommunal talks as the best method for seeking a solution of present difficulties. It would surely be a counsel of despair to suggest that these difficulties could only be solved with the collective help of people not directly concerned, and on that basis to be contemplating the necessity of such intervention. Our aim must surely be to promote the dialogue without the thought of such a necessity looming ahead. These intercommunal talks are indeed of vital importance because, while as parties to the 1960 treaties we, for our part, continue to respect them-and of course expect the other sovereign States that entered into them to do the same-we recognize that there may be some parts of the texts of the treaty instruments which no longer reflect the wishes of all the parties and which may now be inappropriate in some respects. It is precisely with a view to adjusting the internal aspects that the intercommunal talks have been taking place and should continue, 119. Having said this-or should I say having repeated this-our feeling is that if this time we remain satisfied with these overly familiar reflections or findings we shall overlook two factors that should incite us to leave well-trodden paths. On the one hand, we must take into account the observation of the Secretary-General in his report according to which, “The period under review has been marked by a deterioration of the general situation in Cyprus” and “The task of UNFICYP has become increasingly difficult” [A/10401, puras. 94 and 9.51. On the other hand, there are new proposals regarding the search for solutions to the problem of the island. 120. With regard first of all to the aggravation of the situation, the report before us provides us with a great deal of evidence: it speaks of increasing tension along the Green Line, an increase in personnel of the National Guard, reinforcement of the military capacity of the Turkish Cypriot fighters, rejection, in a certain number of cases, of recommendations or advice given by the Force to preserve the status quo. and the continued recurrence of incidents giving rise to shooting. The report once again brings out the increasing tendency towards separate development of the economy of the two communities, with public services, for their part, being completely separate one from the other. Furthermore, freedom of movement on the island is still restricted, and, in the words of the report, “is one of the most serious irritants to Cypriots of both communities” (ibid., para. 61/. We must also emphasize, as our Secretary-General has done, the inappropriateness of anything that might recall a painful and still very recent past and might therefore contribute to an aggravation of tensions. 115. In his statement in the general debate in the General Assembly,3 the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of my country quoted our undertaking in the Charter to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours. The Charter refers to international relations, but it was drawn up on behalf of “the peoples of the United Nations”, and that passage surely applies not only to relations between States, but to the conduct of and relations between communities within a State. 116. Mr. DE LA GORCE (France) (interpretation frm Frenchj: The Frenrh delegation heard with sorrow of the sudden death of the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria. May we 121. But this atmosphere of frustration and tension of which I have just mentioned the most significant highlights, is linked above all to the profound disappointment created Plenary Meetings, 1944th meeting. 122. Our Secretary-General, who at our request has for a number of years lent his good offices, has deemed it appropriate to seek a resumption of the talks between the two communities; and according to his view, this would call for a different procedure, one that might give the new impetus to these negotiations that was SO obviously lacking heretofore. He was also encouraged by the joint efforts of the Greek and Turkish Governments, since at the beginning of the year their Foreign Ministers were able, right here, to find common ground with regard to ways of assisting the spokesmen of the parties concerned to break out of their stalemate, That was a new and significant step on the road to mutual trust. 123. The proposals that emerged have since become well known. Starting from what has been achieved so far, that is, a formula that still did not meet the expectations of the parties concerned, and flowing from their divergent concerns, these proposals could not immediately satisfy ah parties. For our part, however, we believe that we should keep them in mind, for they do constitute a reasonable approach to the problem and, as far as is possible, they do take into account the concerns of both sides. 124. It is for this reason that my delegation wishes to say that the Secretary-General’s endeavours have our sympathy and should, we believe, be welcomed by all. They can contribute to an effective resumption of the intercommunal talks. We believe that the practical approach proposed by the Secretary-General should allow some common ground to be found. The Security Council’s support for this initiative will constitute the reassuring and constructive element which, according to the terms of the report, should dissipate all remaining reluctance. 125. AS he himself points out, this report marks the twentieth time that U Thant has appeared before us to recommend an extension of the mandate of the Force, In the course of the last eight years, my country has constantly supported his efforts to achieve, in accordance with tne terms of resolution 186 (1964) of the Security Council, of 4 March 1964, a peaceful solution and an agreed settlement of the problem in Cyprus. Our confidence in him has never flagged. That explains why, despite Certain reservations regarding the extension of the mandate of the Force-something that is becoming a half-yearly ritual-we have always resigned ourselves to it. 126. Our decision today is no departure from the line of conduct we have set ourselves. However, we do hope that the various parties concerned understand the reason for our Position: the new extension given to them is not the result of any resignation on our part or of any facile approach, We hope that they will give us proof of their good will, 128. Possibly, circumstances may now lead us to postpTr,+ the formulation of directives and suggestions, to which h!z Secretary-General referred in his report. But while it hi obviously up to the parties themselves to find a solution ! 2 their problems, the Council’s responsibility for the ma&z. nance of peace and security, which is the reason for eE;te presence of the Force on the island, must lead US to en.%tiz that no chance for achieving a settlement be overlooked. 129. With all his experience and his familiarity with ake problem of Cyprus, the Secretary-General has laid down ;P; course to be followed. We trust that his proposals, tog&:3 with whatever changes are needed to make them accepta% to all the parties, will be followed up, and we are graii& at the new and favourable elements that this &bate hal brought out. We trust that it will mark a new phase in tk search for a fair solution that will be acceptable to t?z Cypriots of both communities.

Mr. President, I wish to join jtiz and previous speakers in the expressions of fleaniL: welcome addressed to Secretary-General U Thant. iz whom my respect and admiration and, if I may sag’ s%~~, sincere affection have never ceased to increase through>,: all the years of his tenure of office. 131. The Italian delegation has cast its positive VOIC TV favour of the draft resolution contained in docunz:: S/10441, by which the Security Council has decided r renew for another six-month period the stationing ;:F UNFICYP in Cyprus. In so doing, the Italian delegatt.::: wishes to express once again the unswerving support of 1% Italian Government for United Nations peace-keeping UFK~ ations, when particular conditions so require. This is 5s:. the case with Cyprus, as we can easily conclude from ip.: comprehensive report submitted to us in docun~~ S/l0401 by the Secretary-General. 132. The report of the Secretary-General, in fact, !:ti given us a complete description of the present situation. \h? feel indebted to U Thant, as well as to his Speal Representative in Cyprus and to all the United Natir.a forces stationed there, for their very deserving activitks ::: the maintenance of peace in that sensitive and delicate a~i; So close to my country. 133. My delegation has examined this report with I& utmost interest and attention and we have noted with mw concern that, in the period covered by tile report, IFS situation in Cyprus has been characterized by a cansi& 134. The report of the Secretary-General, therefore, while stressing the difficulties which hamper the pursuit of adequate solutions, indicates some positive prospects which, if they should materialize, could lead to favourable restits. These results, in turn, could facilitate the bridging of the differences still dividing the parties, thus creating the ground for a lasting solution of the Cypriot problem, which mould be of great benefit to all countries, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cyprus stated so eloquently this morning. I refer in particular to the procedural suggestions aimed at reactivating and making more effective the talks between the two communities. The Italian delegation deems that these are meaningful suggestions which could give new life and a fresh start to the intercommunal talks, providing a potentially stronger machinery in the search for a solution to the problem. We are happy that, as we were made to understand also from the statements which we heard this morning, this last suggestion is acceptable in principle to all the parties concerned. 139. Of course, we realize the complexity of the problems with which we are confronted, but I wish only to emphasize the firm belief that mutual trust, goodwill and respect for the different positions, when really applied, can lead to results which may exceed the best expectations. 140. It is in this spirit that the Italian delegation has lent its support to the renewal of the mandate of UNFICYP. 141. The report submitted to us by the Secretary-General is the last one on the subject prepared by him. May I be allowed to address to him, on behalf of the Italian Government, the warmest thanks and expressions of deep gratitude for the indefatigable work he accomplished in this field and for the commitment, dedication and high sense of responsibiIity with which he has acted throughout all these years in the pursuit of an acceptable solution of the problem of Cyprus. 135. In this connexion we were most encouraged by the statement made by the representative of Turkey, in which he expressed the hope that 1972 will be the year of the establishment of peace in Cyprus. Our confidence is increased by the fact that Ambassador Bayiilken will very soon assume the high responsibility of the post of Foreign Minister of Turkey. We congratulate him most warmly on this assignment and, although we shall miss him as an esteemed colleague and good friend, we are gratified by the noble Purposes which he will pursue in this highly responsible position. 142. Before concluding, may I associate myself and my delegation with the condolences expressed by you, Sir, and by previous speakers, on the untimely death of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. Mr. Bachev was a well known figure in these circles and I had the privilege on a number of occasions to appreciate his knowledge, his equanimity and goodwill in discussing the crucial problems here and elsewhere. 136. We cannot fail to note, however, at the same time that, so far, the situation is uncertain in the island and is likely to become worse if precautionary measures, not only aimed at limiting the dispute, but also intended to lead towards a solution, are not adopted. The United Nations Force in Cyprus has proved its ability in accomplishing such a task, and it is for this reason that the Secretary-General Las suggested the extension of its stay for another six-month period.

Permit me first of all, on behalf of the Soviet delegation, to express our profound condolences to our Bulgarian comrades and friends on the occasion of the tragic death of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Comrade Ivan Bashev, a faithful friend of the Soviet Union and a consistent champion of the peace-loving foreign policy of the socialist State of Bulgaria. The Soviet delegation would like to ask our Bulgarian friends to convey our feelings of deep grief to the family of Comrade Bashev. 137, In addition to these few remarks, the Italian delegation wishes to emphasize that the peace-keeping operations represent, in our view, one of the ingenious means enabling the United Nations to create the necessary conditions for a more peaceful, just and prosperous world, thus meeting the expectations placed in our Organization by all the peoples of the family of nations. Also, if we bear in mind that in building up an effective United Nations role in this field, we are CompIying with another of the main guidelines adopted unanimously by our Organization on the occasion of its twenty-fifth anniversary, namely, the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security [General Assembly re~~lution 2734 (XXV)], which urged all Member States to 144. The Soviet Union invariably approaches the consider. ation of questions discussed in the Security Council and in the United Nations as a whole from the standpoint of the need to strengthen international security and peace. Such an approach is fully in accord with the main purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, 146. The Cyprus question must be solved without any interference from outside. The lawful rights of all citizens, whether of Greek or Turkish nationality, must be respected by all. The Soviet Union is firmly opposed to any attempts to infringe upon the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and to any intent to settle the Cyprus question behind the backs of the people of Cyprus to the detriment of their vital interests and to the benefit of the imperialistic aims of outside forces. 147. It is our deep conviction that, in order to ensure the complete independence, integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, all foreign forces must be withdrawn from its territory, and the foreign military bases on the territory of Cyprus must be removed. 148. The Soviet delegation would also Iike to stress the need for ail States, in strict compliance with Security Council resolution 186 (1964) of 4 March 1964, to refrain from actions contrary to that resolution which might complicate the situation in Cyprus. 149. It should also be pointed out that Cyprus is situated in immediate proximity to Europe, and the state of affairs on that continent has the most direct influence on the situation in Cyprus. That being so, one can only welcome the recent turn towards the easing of tension in Europe. For its part, the Soviet Union, together with the other socialist countries, consistently calls for further measures to consolidate European peace and security, the most important of which would be the early convening of an all-European conference on questions of security and co-operation. 150. Today the Security Council is once again considering the question of Cyprus in connexion with the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus for the period 20 May to 30 November 1971. On studying this report, one cannot but draw attention to the statements it contains to the effect that the period under review has been marked by a deterioration of the general situation in Cyprus, that tension on the island has noticeably increased and that there have been a number of incidents, some of them serious, between representatives of the Greek and Turkish communities. Such statements can only give rise to regret and concern. 1.52. The report expresses the view that the Security Council should become more actively involved in the search for a solution to the Cyprus problem. A similar idea was also expressed in today’s statement in the Council by the distinguished Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Mr. Kyprianou. The Soviet delegation, for its part, shares those views. We should also like to point out that many years have already passed since the day when foreign forces, foreign military contingents under the title of United Nations forces first arrived in Cyprus as a result of well-known circumstances. Today the Security Council is considering a proposal to extend the mandate of those forces for the twentieth time. Their presence on theisland for such a long time, as has previously been stated by ourselves and by many other delegations, can in no way be regarded as normal. As in the past, the Soviet delegation holds firmly to the view that this United Nations operation cannot and must not continue indefinitely. In itself, the presence of foreign forces in the territory of an indepen. dent sovereign State, even under the auspices and on behalf of the United Nations, can only be a temporary or extraordinary measure which should be ended as soon as possible. 153. ‘The time has come for the Security Council to study once again all the possibilities for a settlement of the situation in Cyprus which would lead to the withdrawa of United Nations forces from that island. The Council must, of course, itself decide in what way it can best carry out this task. 1.54. It is on this understanding, and bearing in mind the position on this matter of the interested parties and above all of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, that the Soviet delegation will not now raise the question of the withdrawal of United Nations forces from the territory of Cyprus. 155. With regard to the resolution just adopted by the Security Council, the USSR delegation considers it newsary to point out that this resolution reaffirms the basic provisions of resolution 186 (1964), and also of subsequent Council resolutions on the Cyprus question. The USSR delegation considers this to be a decisive factor in detep mining the Soviet Union’s attitude to this resolution also. 156. The USSR delegation did not object to the adoption by the Council today of a resolution extending the stationing of the United Nations forces in Cyprus until 15 June 1972, on ,the understanding that this extension Will be effected in full accordance with the provisions of 157. Finally, the Soviet delegation would like to take advantage of the presence at today’s meeting of the Security Council of the Permanent Representative of Turkey, Ambassador Bayiilken, who was recently appointed to the high office of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey. We should like to express the hope that his great experience and erudition will foster the further development and the strengthening of Soviet-Turkish goodneighbourly relations and friendship. I congratulate him on his high appointment. 164. We have heard it stated very often in this Council in all languages and by all delegations that we cannot unduly delay the efforts to find a definitive solution lo the problem confronting us. In 1967 my delegation, when it was a member of the Council, stated it, we repeated it in May of this year, and we wish to press this matter home very clearly today, for we consider it to be of crucial importance.

The Argentine delegation wishes first of all to associate itself with the sorrow expressed by yourself on behalf of the Council, and echoed by other members, on the tragic death of the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria. To the Government and the people of Bulgaria, with whom my country enjoys the closest of friendly relations, we address our sincerest condolences. 165. Without in any way lessening our support for any temporary measure that may lead to understanding among the parties, or for the intercommunal talks, the strengthening of which is vital for the maintenance of peace and the pacification of the island, we feel justified in wondering whether the time has not arrived for us to do more than merely decide upon an extension of the stay of the Force in Cyprus. We must state very clearly that we note with great interest the ideas expressed in part V of the report, which speak of the good offices of the Secretary-General and more particularly of the possibility that the Special Representative might participate in the talks between the two communities. 159. However, at the other end of the spectrum of feelings, may I congratulate the representative of Turkey, Mr. Bayiilken, on his nomination as Foreign Minister of his country. May I express our hopes for great success to crown his efforts. 166. In conclusion, I wish to recall what U Thant stated in paragraph 110 of his report: 160. Once again, the Security Council is meeting to consider the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus covering the period from 20 May to 30 November 1971, circulated in document S/10401. First of all we would like to express our appreciation for the valuable report the Secretary-General has submitted to us, valuable both because of the precise description of events that have taken place and the assessment made of them, as well as for the conclusions drawn. “Thus the hopes and expectations of 1964 are yet to be fulfilled. After nearly eight years, the solution of the Cyprus problem is still not in sight, conditions in the island remain precarious and I have to come once more before the Security Council-in fact for the twentieth time-to recommend a further extension of the mandate of UNFICYP. It is obvious that this situation cannot continue indefinitely, to the detriment of the people of Cyprus and as a lingering threat to international peace and security.” 161. We would also like to take advantage of this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Osorio-Tafall, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for his unremitting efforts, and the Commander of the United Nations Force in Cyprus, Major-General Prem Chand, for the very correct way in which he has commanded the forces under his orders. They certainly are fulfilling what we would call the peace mission of our Organization.

I still have several speakers inscribed on my list to speak on the item concerning the question of Cyprus. Members may wish to adjourn now. It would be my intention, however, to call the next meeting of the Council at 4 o’clock this afternoon in order to hear the remaining speakers on this item and then to proceed to the other item on the agenda. We may use the period from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. for consultations, as indicated at the last meeting. Since it is my understanding that members of the council are agreeable to this course of action, the next meeting will be scheduled for 4 p.m. The agenda will be the same as for this meeting. 162. The Secretary-General has very eloquently described the increase of tension in the island, the lack of progress in the intercommunal talks, the increase in military activities on the part of the armed contingents of the different groups, as well as certain cases where the trust that should be given the United Nations has been found wanting. These elements and these facts, as well as others that the Secretary-General details with his usual accuracy and The meeting rose at 1.25 p.m. HOW TO OBTAIN UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONS United Nations publications may be obtained from bookstores and distributors throughout the world. Consult your bookstore or write to: United Nations, Sales Section, New York or Geneva. COMMENT SE PROCURER LES PUBLICATIONS DES NATIONS UNIES Les publications des Nations Unies sont en vente dans les librairies et lea agences depositaires du monde entier. Informez-vous aup&s de votre libraire ou adressez-vous a : Nations Unies, Section des ventes, New York ou Geneve. K&C IIOJfY9HTb NBJ(A1IHJ-f OPrAHH 3AI(HII OB%EJ$HHEHH~IX HAU(HR Hs~miurr Opramrsaqm 06’bequneanbrx Haunt MOH(HO nynkrrb B mui~nhrx hfara- 3nHax n &renTcTsax BO Bcex patoaax hrnpa. HasoAure cnpasxw 06 n3AannRX n samen ~mirnno~ Mara3nne mm nsmnre no anpecy: Oprarnmauua O@beAwnenribrx Haunti, Cercqurr no nponaxe u3~aaut& Hbro-FLopa mm Zenesa. COMO CONSEGUIR PUBLICACIONES DE LAS NACIONES UNIDAS Las publicaciones de las Nacionea Unidas est.&n en venta an librerfas y casas distribuidoras en todas partes de1 mundo. Consulte a su librero o dirfjase a: Nacionea Unidae, Seccidn de Ventas, Nueva York o Ginebra. Litho in United Nations, New York Price: $U.S. 1.00 (or equivalent in other currencies)