Turkey pursues an à la carte approach to the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, characterising them as outdated or rejecting their content when they do not fit its narrative, in an attempt to persuade that the outcome of its aggression has a legally valid result, stated the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, Maria Michail, in a letter to the Security Council of the United Nations.
The letter was sent following a letter from the Permanent Representative of Turkey on 11th March 2024.
In her letter, the Permanent Representative of Cyprus noted that Turkey’s Permanent Representative is engaged in a futile effort to justify its aggression towards Cyprus and to legitimise the establishment of a subordinate secessionist regime, resorting to historical revisionism and distortion of fundamental facts.
Michail stated that “at a time when efforts are being made to restart a political process that would lead to the resolution of the Cyprus issue based on the Security Council resolutions, following the recent appointment of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, Turkey continues to reject the framework approved by the United Nations for a solution, demanding the legitimisation of its imposed division of the island, pursuing its vision for a ‘two-state solution’ and openly attempting to derail these efforts.”
She emphasised that “the Republic of Cyprus remains committed to supporting the work of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and to charting a positive way forward, in order to break the deadlock and resume negotiations, fully utilising the acquis of the talks.”
“We call on Turkey to engage with the same spirit to revitalise the peace process and the prospect for a comprehensive solution as defined in the relevant Security Council resolutions. This is crucial not only for the benefit of all Cypriots but also for promoting peace, security, and stability in the wider region, at a time when it is desperately needed,” she pointed out.
“The fact that Turkey considered it necessary to react to a reference from another member state, through which the latter simply underscored its commitment to the fundamental principles of respect for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of states, is indicative of Turkey’s blatant disrespect for international law. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of states under attack must be defended, regardless of where the attacks come from or how long they last,” Michail noted.
She added that this principle applies to the case of Cyprus, which continues to suffer from the consequences of Turkey’s illegal military invasion and the ongoing illegal military occupation of 36% of its territory.
“On the contrary, Turkey’s Permanent Representative is engaged in a futile effort to justify its aggression towards Cyprus and to legitimise the establishment of a subordinate secessionist regime, resorting to historical revisionism and distortion of fundamental facts,” she added.
She noted that “Turkey is in complete contradiction with the united and consistent support of the international community for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, as unequivocally expressed in successive Security Council resolutions.”
Michail emphasised that the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion approaching “serves as a sad reminder of the urgent need to overcome the unacceptable status quo with the reunification of our island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as defined in the relevant Security Council resolutions.”
Finally, Michail requested that the letter be circulated as a document of the Security Council.
