PERMANENT MISSION OF TURKEY TO THE UNITED NATIONS

STATEMENT BY

HIS EXCELLENCY ISMAEL CEM

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY

AT THE 55TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

NEW YORK, 16 SEPTEMBER 2000

Mr. President,

Our deliberations come in the wake of the historic Declaration just adopted at the Millennium Summit. Today, we look into the future with greater confidence. Our commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter is undiminished. Our enthusiasm to turn our Organization's goals into solid realities remains high. In our quest for a better world, we are to derive our inspiration from our democratic values and human dignity; our energy from the dynamism of our societies and the staggering advances in science and technology; and our strength from global solidarity and shared responsibility.

-I-

I believe that the sustenance of peace, security and development in Eurasia and Europe necessitates Turkey's active participation. The recent Kosovo crisis and consequent problem of refugees, the economic and democratic development of the Central Asian Republics, the security of Georgia, the establishment of stability and cooperation in the Balkans, the efforts for the resolution of Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict and the support to the Middle East Peace Process all point to Turkey's important role in this large geography.

Today, there is no greater challenge for us than the prevention of conflicts and the achievement of peace. The horrors we witnessed in Europe, the Far East and Africa in the course of the past decade compel us with a sense of urgency to devise effective conflict prevention mechanisms and strategies. In his Millennium Report, the Secretary General articulates the means for conflict prevention strategies. Likewise, the Panel on the United Nations Peace Operations, under the able Chairmanship of Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, made recommendations that will bolster, both the structure and the capability of the ever-increasing number of UN peace operations. These recommendations, when adopted and implemented, will provide the required capacity and credibility. As an increasingly active member of the international community, providing civilian and military contingents to peace efforts in different spots as far as Southeastern Europe and East Timor, Turkey will give substance to U.N. efforts to prevent conflicts. As peace operations become a core function of the United Nations, we feel more strongly the urge to have a sounder financial basis for them. Turkey therefore supported the inclusion of a new item in the agenda of the current General Assembly to review the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the peacekeeping operations. We hope that the discussions on this crucial issue will lead to a fairer redrawing scale, taking into account all relevant economic and financial criteria, reflecting the true capacity of the countries.

-II-

The rapidly globalizing world provides an appropriate environment for Turkey, at the heart of Eurasia serving as a bridge to many nations and civilizations.

A priority task is securing peace and stability in the Balkans. The Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, in which Turkey plays an active part, provides a good framework for cooperation in the region. In Bosnia‑Herzegovina, however, full implementation of the Dayton‑Paris Accords is still our objective. We should preserve Bosnia‑Herzegovina as a multi‑ethnic, multi‑cultural, independent and sovereign state. Turkey will continue to contribute bilaterally and through multilateral endeavors to Bosnia‑Herzegovina's state‑building and reconstruction efforts.

In Kosovo, the UN has been able to put in place arrangements enabling the population to sustain their daily lives. But the current state of ethnic violence does not inspire a promising future. UNMIK has set new rules for the administration of Kosovo. We will in particular look forward to the full recognition of the vested rights of the Turkish community of Kosovo. We hope the shortcomings in this respect will soon be corrected, allowing the multi-ethnic and multicultural structure of Kosovo to be duly reflected in its public institutions and organs.

-III-

To turn to a positive development, I should underline that the constructive trend in our relations with Greece I mentioned in my last years' address to the General Assembly continues. During the year we have signed nine agreements for cooperation in a variety of areas ranging from economy to culture.

In this context, The rapprochement between Turkey and Greece that we initiated has already brought about very positive results.

"Mutual re-discovery by the peoples of Turkey and Greece of one another and their re-conciliation" had provided the main dynamics of the rapprochement. Almost on a daily basis, politicians, mayors, businessmen, trade-unionists, artists, writers, sportsmen and student groups visit each other across the Aegean or Thrace. Trade between the two countries is flourishing. An unprecedented flurry of activity is being observed in the Aegean coasts and Thrace. Bilateral tourism is on the rise; joint investments are being carried out. A Memorandum of Understanding for a "Turkey-Greece-EU" joint pipeline project, to transport Central Asian and Caucasus energy to Western Europe has been signed.

All these positive developments revealed once again that the Turkish and the Greek people are not for confrontation, but for cooperation and friendship.

Now, it is incumbent upon us to further develop this process. It is my belief that Turkey and Greece can overcome all their bilateral problems as long as there is a communication and cooperation on civic level, supported by the firm political will of the administrators.

In other words, the peoples of our two countries have not only superseded their politicians but they have raised a most significant barrier to any inclination to move backwards: The rapprochement between our two peoples constitute the best guarantee against some politicians that, once in a while, yearn for the confrontational past.

The developments in Turco-Greek relations lead me to the following conclusion: The common fate of problems is to be "solved" when Greece is ready. The level, which the Turco-Greek relations have attained in such a short time as one year, inspires cautious optimism. It lays the ground for us to look at the future with more confidence. I hope that this great opportunity will not be undermined and that the level of relations will be consistently upgraded.

-IV-

Turkey's attention is also focused on the developments in Southern Caucasus and Central Asia. Our historical, cultural and linguistic affinities with these countries serve as a major asset in out joint efforts to have the peoples of the region move towards higher levels of security and prosperity. Recent terrorist activities are however, a new threat to the peace and security of the Central Asian states. We are now seeking ways as to how we can best assist these countries in their struggle against terrorism.

The recent events demonstrate once again that we have to fight against international terrorism collectively. We commend the efforts within the United Nations to strengthen the legal framework in the fight against terrorism and urge you to keep the matter high on your agendas.

The developments in Afghanistan are a cause for grave concern as they have a direct impact on the stability of Central Asia.

In Southern Caucasus, peace is yet to be achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Stability in Georgia remains a goal. We have put forward the idea of a Stability Pact for the Caucasus and are giving follow up to our initiative. The regional countries must develop a growing awareness to look forward to about the wide-ranging benefits of regional cooperation.

Here I should also stress that attempts to defame other nations or to extract enmity from history will serve no useful purpose. Historical research should be left to scholars. At this age, we expect all nations to concentrate their efforts on cooperating with each other for the good of their people.

Mr. President,

The Middle East Peace Process has reached a crucial phase. Turkey has always stressed the importance of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement on the basis of international legitimacy and within the framework of the UN Resolutions 242 and 338, and the principle of land for peace.

The Palestinian issue lies at the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict. On the other hand, it has again been proven during the course of negotiations between Israel and Palestine, that Al Quds is the decisive element for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. There was progress at the Camp David Summit, as it was the first occasion where there was frank discussion on all, including the most sensitive issues. We are heartened to witness the willingness of both sides to continue negotiations and explore all possibilities. We encourage the parties to remain engaged in order not to miss this historic opportunity.

Turkey is endowed with centuries of experience regarding the area. We also have deep historical, moral and cultural ties with the peoples of the region. Turkey has good relations with both Israeli and the Palestinian sides, and enjoys their trust. This prompted the parties to solicit our contributions in recent weeks to facilitate a better understanding and greater confidence between the parties. Turkey will continue these efforts as long as the parties think it useful.

I would also like to underline that Israel's withdrawal from Southern Lebanon within the framework of the UN Security Council Resolution 425 was a step in the right direction.

Turkey also hopes that negotiations in the Israeli-Syrian and the Israeli-Lebanese tracks will resume soon to reach a mutually acceptable solution.

-V-

As we are recommitting ourselves to uphold the principles enshrined in the Charter with increased determination and vigor, we should likewise avoid being captive of approaches not relating to realities. In the same vein, efforts to impose solutions that do not take into account the ground realities are doomed to failure.

In line with this very basic logic, the settlement of the Cyprus issue must be compatible with the existing realities on the Island.

1. To refresh memories, I would like to summarize the historical background: Cyprus became an international problem as of December 1963 when the joint Turkish-Greek Republic was forcefully destroyed by Greek Cypriots and an unconstitutional rule was set up at the expense of the Turkish Cypriots. The present situation in Cyprus came into being after the coup in 1974 engineered by Greece. Nikos Sampson, coup leader, who was acting in coordination with the "Colonels' Junta" in Greece, murdered many Greek Cypriots as well. The coup toppled Archbishop Makarios and forced him to flee the country. They staged wide-spread terror, and moved to make the Turkish Cypriots subjects of a "Greek Cyprus" which was designed to be an integral part of "Mainland Greece".

2. Turkey, as one of the guarantor powers by virtue of the London and Zurich Agreements, intervened to terminate the ongoing massacres and to prevent the perpetration of similar atrocities in the future. Accordingly, Turkey averted an "ethnic cleansing" in the island and spared the Turkish Cypriots from sharing the tragic fate of the Muslim Kosovars and Bosnians of the future. Therefore, it will be a gross distortion of history to consider Turkish intervention as an "occupation". On the contrary, it symbolises "liberation" for nearly 200.000 Turkish Cypriots. Due to Turkish intervention, not only the coup in Cyprus failed, but also the junta collapsed, and democracy returned to Greece.

3. Following the years 1963-1974, during which hundreds of armed clashes took place and human lives were lost, the liberation of Turkish Cypriots brought peace for both parties. For 26 years, peace and security has prevailed in the island. Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots live in the island as two independent states, two functioning democracies, representing two distinct peoples. In spite of a ruthless economic embargo imposed upon them by the Greek Cypriots, the Turkish Cypriots made considerable economic progress.

4. It is stipulated by the United Nations that both parties through separate referenda should approve a comprehensive settlement mutually acceptable for the two parties. In case this settlement is rejected by one of the parties in referenda, the proposed solution becomes null and void. It is out of question for an international organisation or any other grouping to impose its own solution on the parties. In this framework, the membership of "Cyprus" in the EU, in which Turkey is not full member would be an indirect "enosis" and contrary to the London and Zurich Agreements.

5. If a mutually acceptable settlement is sincerely sought, then the model is quite clear: Based on the realities of Cyprus, a confederation consisting of two States. According to this model, the two independent entities, by virtue of reaching an agreement between themselves, transfer some of their functions to the confederal bodies. Thus, both the integrity and diversity that emanate from the realities of the island would be preserved. A mutually acceptable settlement in Cyprus cannot be reached through romantic descriptions but through realistic assessments. Therefore, to define the division of Cyprus as ".. The last wall of Europe" might sound fashionable but the connotations it brings and the parallelism it draws are totally erroneous. First of all, the line defined as a "wall" was drawn by the United Nations Peace Force in 1963, in order to protect the Turkish Cypriots from the assault of the Greek Cypriots. This is the year when the Greek Cypriots illegally usurped the state apparatus and conducted violent assaults against Turkish Cypriots.

6. To refer to some recent arrangements by TRNC on her sovereign soil as an act strengthening the existing barriers, is irrelevant. For the "...walls to tumble down" in Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot side must first free itself of its present frame of mind.

At the third round of proximity talks in Geneva, President Denktas presented comprehensive proposals for a confederal setup.

Turkey favors a viable settlement of the Cyprus issue. She supports President Denktas' proposals, and the proximity talks initiated by the Secretary General.

I would like to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of my Government for the efforts of the Secretary General as well as his Special Representative for Cyprus, Mr. De Soto.

-VI-

It is regrettable that the richly endowed continent of Africa is yet to take its share from globalization. Especially the prosperous nations have to make a sustained effort to counter poverty and disease in Africa and give the peoples of Africa the hope for a more promising future.

We have to vigorously pursue our efforts to make the world a safer place for all. Turkey has always encouraged efforts aimed at achieving meaningful and verifiable arms control and disarmament arrangements. In this context, we are also supportive of nuclear disarmament. It is with this understanding that we are signatory to the NPT and the CTBT. We urge all countries that have not yet done so to do likewise.

One of the tools at the disposal of the United Nations to respond to countries that violate international peace and stability is sanctions. In recent years sanctions have become a prominent tool of the UN's collective efforts. There is now an on-going debate on the subject and an assessment is being made on the utility of sanctions.

Effectiveness of sanctions, as we see it, has two important aspects. The first has to do with whether the sanctions applied to a given country or area serve their intended purpose. This, in turn, brings into question whether the sanctions are properly targeted and whether there is universal compliance.

The second aspect concerns the proper implementation of sanctions. They are invoked on the premise that the decisions taken by the U.N. will be respected, and that all will share the ensuing burden. Therefore, the collateral effects of the sanctions on third states, and especially the uneven burden they place on countries neighbouring the target state, are issues that must be addressed. Moreover, we also should see to it that the adverse effects of sanctions on innocent people, especially on children, women and the elderly, are minimized.

Following widespread economic setbacks of the past few years, the healing process on the global economy gathered momentum. Global integration has been further fueled by bold leaps in science and technology. However, there is no room for complacency. To ensure that the benefits of revitalized growth are felt evenly on a global scale, continued and intensified efforts are needed at national and international levels.

It is not only the countries that have been exposed to the negative effects of globalization that stand to lose as a result. Global inequity threatens to become a source of political and social instability. Elimination of poverty should therefore remain our paramount goal. To reach this goal, we must attain good governance, transparency and participation. We must also build strong social safety nets. But these will not yield the results being sought, if we do not make adequate allocation to educate our people. As physical borders begin to fade, the minds trapped within national domains must also change and be transformed.

We applaud the growing role of the United Nations in the economic and social sphere. With its role in breeding a culture of international cooperation and solidarity, the UN has indeed been a source of inspiration.

-VII-

The General Assembly this year completed two Special Sessions successfully: one focusing on the advancement of the rights of women and the other on social development. With this achievement the United Nations and its members have once again displayed their commitment to further the goals set at the 1995 Beijing and Copenhagen Conferences. Turkey actively took part in these Special Sessions and contributed to the preparation of the respective outcome documents. Now we are looking forward to the preparation of two more highly significant meetings. One is the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Children and the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. I can assure you that we shall participate energetically and constructively in the efforts to bring these activities to success.

Turkey has welcomed the adoption of the two Optional Protocols of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Last week I had the pleasure to sign all three Protocols during the Millennium Summit. I am also pleased to recall that Turkey, this year, signed both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Thus, Turkey has taken yet another step towards becoming signatory to the whole set of international instruments dealing with safeguarding and promoting human rights.

In one respect, we feel we possess most of the elements for a promising future, ranging from increased universal consciousness on human dignity, to strides in science and technology. Yet, at the same time, we distressingly find ourselves plagued by war, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, racism, xenophobia, poverty and many other evils, both old and new. As a new millennium ushers, we must embrace rationalism, empathy and human solidarity in tackling our common problems. Only then can we relax for having fulfilled our responsibilities towards the next generations.

Thank you, Mr. President.