Greece

Before I begin my speech, may I associate myself with the final appeal made by Prince Albert of Monaco, who preceded me at this rostrum. Perhaps this Organization can be instrumental in achieving an Olympic truce for the Olympic Games of 2000 and for those of 2004, which we will host in Athens. I think that this is an initiative that the Organization should take seriously. Allow me to warmly congratulate you, Sir, on your election. Your qualities and skills augur well for the progress of this session. Moreover, I am especially pleased to salute in your person a representative of the Ukraine, a country with which Greece maintains long-standing friendly relations. I wish also to pay tribute to your predecessor, Ambassador Razali Ismail, for the effective manner in which he performed his functions. The Greek Government is impressed with the way the new Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, has been discharging his duties. His great experience warrants the hope that his ongoing endeavours aiming at the reform of this Organization will be crowned with success. On this occasion, I would like to express my appreciation to the United Nations membership at large for electing Greece to one of the positions of Vice- President of the General Assembly. Earlier this week, the Foreign Minister of Luxembourg, in his capacity as President of the Council of the European Union, delivered a statement to which my Government fully subscribes; we subscribe as well as to the Union’s memorandum, which has been submitted to the Assembly. I would like, however, to elaborate further on some issues of particular interest to my country. As the millennium draws to a close, Greece, located at a crossroads of countries and civilizations, is striving to free the twenty-first century from the scourges of the past, thus offering to our region prospects of progress and prosperity. We are the only member of both the European Union and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in our region, and we thus we function as the latter’s link to Europe, guided by our firm belief that conflicts and prejudices have to be overcome through respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations. In this context, we believe that Greece is able to play an important role in the Security Council and are therefore seeking election to that body, to one of the two non-permanent seats allocated to the Group of Western European and Other States for the biennium 1999-2000. Deeply dedicated to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, we are ready to take our share of responsibility for international peace and security. Indeed, Greece has been actively participating in several peacekeeping operations as a troop-contributing country. This year, we became a member of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. We have advocated the Committee’s expansion as a positive step forward, and we support any effort aimed at improving the peacekeeping capabilities of the United Nations. Furthermore, Greece has confirmed its willingness to participate in the stand-by arrangements system and has joined other Member States in the continued efforts to 4 enable the Organization to react more quickly and more efficiently to future peacekeeping requirements. As I reaffirm our palpable commitment to peacekeeping, I wish also to express my country’s deep appreciation for the courage and dedication shown by peacekeeping personnel in confronting challenges to peace and security. Comprehensive reform and restructuring of the United Nations system, including the size and working methods of the Security Council, must be attained with a view to meeting the changing needs of the world community as it moves into the next millennium. The reform package presented by the Secretary-General in July is a response to this necessity and constitutes a welcome step towards modernizing and strengthening the United Nations. Greece will contribute in a constructive and positive way to the success of the efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General through his proposals. We live in a world characterized by globalization and the introduction of new technologies; hence, the United Nations is called upon to pursue a broader set of objectives focusing on democratic development, sustainable development and higher living standards for all citizens of the world. The political commitment of its Member States and their contribution of adequate resources constitute the two fundamental prerequisites for the success of the United Nations. In this context, we welcome the determination of all Member States, in particular those that play a major role in the Organization’s decision-making process, to fulfil their financial obligations on time and in full. Greece, a State Member of the United Nations since 1945, will continue to honour its obligations to the United Nations, gradually increasing its annual contribution to the peacekeeping operations budget, moving from group C to group B on its own initiative. The nineteenth special session of the General Assembly, on the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21, held last June, gave us the opportunity five years after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the Rio Conference, to renew and reinforce our commitment to sustainable development. Greece, with one third of the coastline of the entire Mediterranean basin and almost 3,000 islands, has a specific interest in promoting the management of coastal zones, sustainable tourism, sustainable water management and policies to combat desertification and deforestation. We have been uninterruptedly implementing a long- term strategy for the protection of the environment while sharing with the international community the belief that Agenda 21 can be implemented only through a sense of common responsibility. However, the major environmental problems of our planet cannot be successfully tackled if socio-economic ills such as poverty are not combatted and eradicated. Since the last session of the General Assembly, the prospect of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem has, regrettably, remained elusive. For 23 years now Turkey has maintained more than 35,000 occupation troops on the island, blatantly defying international law. At the same time, the Turkish Cypriot population, for the protection of which the invasion was allegedly undertaken, has dwindled dramatically since 1974, due to political oppression coupled with the massive influx of settlers from mainland Turkey. The Government of Greece aims at a reunited Cyprus, a common home to all of its inhabitants. We maintain that a settlement on the basis of the resolutions of the United Nations and the high- level agreements of 1977 and 1979 can bring peace and reconciliation to the island. Such a settlement should provide for a bizonal and bicommunal federation with a single sovereignty and international personality and with its independence and territorial integrity safeguarded through effective international guarantees. There is no doubt that a functional solution of the Cyprus problem would eliminate a source of instability in the region and contribute to the improvement of Turkish-Greek relations. The main obstacle, however, remains Turkey’s aim of legitimizing the status quo. Ankara’s negative stance and lack of political will were once again displayed during the direct talks recently held under the auspices of the Secretary-General at Glion-sur-Montreux. As the President of the Security Council pointed out in an informed briefing to the press, “substantive progress at this time was impeded by the attempt to bring preconditions to the table by the other party, and here of course I mean the Turkish Cypriots.” On the other hand, the constructive stance of the Cypriot President, Mr. Clerides, at the talks was praised by the President of the Council in the same statement. His proposal for the demilitarization of Cyprus must retain our thorough attention. 5 Greece unwaveringly supports the process of Cyprus’s accession to the European Union, which will commence at the near future. We believe that its accession will benefit all the island’s inhabitants. It could also act as a catalyst for the solution of the political problem. We sincerely hope that Turkey will eventually realize the benefits of the accession of Cyprus to the European Union, especially for the Turkish Cypriot population, and will change its present stance. Our relations with Turkey have taken an additional downturn since 1996, when our neighbour added direct territorial claims to the existing policy of demands, threats of war and constant pressure, in an attempt to subvert the territorial status quo established more than 70 years ago by international law and treaties. Its attempt to back these claims by military means in January 1996 resulted in a crisis that just fell short of war. Greece, while determined to protect, by all legitimate means, its sovereign rights stemming from international law, sincerely agrees that there is a need to establish normal good neighbourly relations, based on the principles of international law and respect for international treaties — something which Turkey seems determined to ignore. It has been a consistent policy of our Government that Greek-Turkish relations should be addressed in a context of respect for international law and treaties. Greece has made it its policy to channel such relations through accepted rules of behaviour and the principles recognized in international life. The Madrid Joint Statement, signed by Turkey's President, Mr. Demirel, and the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Simitis, provides a welcome initiative which might contribute to a gradual improvement. The problems that really exist must be dealt with by legal means provided for by international law, and specifically through the International Court of Justice. Such a step would open possibilities for a gradual build-up of good-neighbourly relations and the establishment of confidence and cooperation in every field. In this sense, we are waiting for a move by the new Turkish Government to work in this direction — away from statements and acts which confuse the issue and relate to a past that we must transcend by means of those principles of international law that are enshrined in the United Nations Charter, and that our gathering here pledges to serve. In the Balkan Peninsula, the area where Greece itself is located, the situation is gradually improving. My county has played an active role within the framework of various international activities designed to promote peace, stability, good neighbourliness and development in the area. Greece values its historical relations with Albania. It is committed to continuing to work for the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries in all fields and to extending assistance for the rehabilitation of the country, in particular after the recent crisis. Our contribution to Operation Alba and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) presence has been essential and prompt. The Greek minority in Albania will remain an important factor of friendship between the two peoples, actively contributing to the progress of their country. Greece fully supports the process initiated with the Dayton Agreement. Maintaining excellent relations with all actors in the Yugoslav drama, we contribute substantially in keeping the peace. We have sent out massive humanitarian aid from governmental and non- governmental sources alike; we have deployed our soldiers with the Stabilization Force (SFOR); we have sent observers both on the European Community Monitor Mission and OSCE teams; and we are actively engaged in reconstruction work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I am proud to report that we are among the few not only to put forward the money pledged at the 1996 Donors' Conference, but actually to have brought to completion the programmes we undertook to fulfil. Furthermore, we are increasing our contribution for 1997, by 35 per cent. All this, I must note, took place while we were massively engaged in stemming both the Albanian crisis and the deterioration of the financial situation in Bulgaria. Persistence in implementing the Dayton Agreement, encouraging democratization and opening up to the market economy and to the international community will provide guidance for all on ways to overcome present difficulties and will enable all actors to normalize their relations with each other, the United Nations and the international community in general. Honouring the Interim Accord with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), we continue talks under the auspices of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Vance, about the final name of that country. We hope that the Skopje Government will realize the need for an early solution to this issue. In the multilateral field, we have persistently promoted the process of cooperation and good 6 neighbourliness in southeastern Europe, actively participating in such regional schemes as Royaumont, the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Balkan Cooperation, and Black Sea Economic Cooperation. The Declaration adopted in Thessaloniki on 10 June 1997 by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of countries of southeastern Europe has given a substantial impetus to this process. In the same spirit, in early November Greece will host in Crete a summit of countries of southeastern Europe. The situation in the Middle East continues to concern us. In fact, recent terrorist actions like those in Jerusalem, as well as the tragic situation in the West Bank and Gaza, constitute the tangible consequences of the stagnation of the peace process. Revival of both the peace process and the peace hope requires adherence to and full implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions and international agreements. The parties have to live up to their commitments. Real peace is a just and global one — in Israel as well as in Lebanon, where the need to implement Security Council resolution 425 (1978) continues to be painfully felt. Greece supports any efforts which could have positive results, and hence we encourage those undertaken by the European Union's Special Envoy in the Middle East. Moreover, our country is willing to offer any assistance aimed at the strengthening of peace and stability, security, and economic and social progress, as well as the establishment of confidence among all parties to the Middle East problem, in favour of the peoples of the area. Greece is following with particular interest the recent developments in Africa, auspicious or ominous as they appear. Indeed, an increasing number of African countries are adopting pluralism as a form of Government and open- market principles for their economy. It is Greece's belief that on the eve of the twenty-first century the international community must encourage and assist African countries to promote pluralism, respect for human rights and a free- market economy. Important developments will take place during this century in Africa. Latin America, with which Greece has traditional ties of friendship, is consolidating the pace of development of recent years. Also, through successful regional integration, the countries of the region are assuming a stature on a worldwide scale that truly reflects the importance of the progress the region has achieved. Last June's Bucharest Meeting between the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council and the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) is a telling example. Greece, both bilaterally and as a member of the European Union, is looking forward to an increasing, comprehensive and substantial dialogue with the Latin American countries, to the benefit of international cooperation, trade liberalization, and stability. The United Nations remains mankind's best hope for jointly solving the problems that collectively beset the world community. We therefore fully support the call for the reform of the United Nations. However, we strongly believe that any decision regarding the future form and function of our Organization should be taken by consensus and should reflect the needs and aspirations of all Member States — big and small, rich and poor alike — in whose hands and political will the destiny of the United Nations lies. Greece is prepared to shoulder its share of responsibility in this ongoing reform process.