UN Human Rights Treaties

Distr. GENERAL E/CN.4/1994/93 12 January 1994 Original: ENGLISH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fiftieth session Item 10 of the provisional agenda QUESTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PERSONS SUBJECTED TO ANY FORM OF DETENTION OR IMPRISONMENT Letter dated 28 April 1993 from the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations Office at Geneva addressed to the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights at its forty-ninth session I have the honour to refer to document E/CN.4/1993/103 dated 1 March 1993 and to reply to the Turkish Permanent Representative, who is responsible for its circulation and contents, contrary to the provision of paragraph 3 of United Nations Security Council resolution 555 (1984). The illegality of such an action has been pointed out to you time and again. The provocative action of the Permanent Representative of Turkey, constitutes another glaring example of the attempt of the Turkish Government to evade its responsibilities and obligations as envisaged by the human rights instruments and the international humanitarian law, concerning the Greek Cypriots who disappeared during and after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. The Turkish Representative for yet another time opted to force the Organization to circulate a letter, full of falsities and distortions, emanating from an illegal entity, thus indicating Turkey’s negative attitude towards the efforts for resolving a tragic humanitarian problem. GE.94-10290 (E) E/CN.4/1994/93 page 2 What is also worrying, is the apparent endorsement by the Government of Turkey of the inaccuracies, distortions and fabrications contained in the said letter. In an attempt to mislead the international community on the continued violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, perpetuated by his Government in Cyprus, Turkey’s Representative projects the invented and false statements of international humanitarian organizations and out-of-context quotations on the issue of the missing persons in Cyprus. This exercise of misinformation is, to say the least, regrettable. It is, also, a matter of concern to all those, both in Cyprus and outside, who work very hard to find a solution to a human drama affecting thousands of Cypriot families. I do not intend to reply to the allegations and distortions contained in document E/CN.4/1993/103. I consider such an exercise to be outside the accepted role of a representative, especially in an international human rights forum. Turkey’s responsibilities are well known and documented and cannot be evaded, no matter what tactics are employed by the Turkish Government. The numerous resolutions adopted by international organizations on the case of the missing are very indicative to that effect. Furthermore, authoritative and independent human rights bodies found Turkey responsible for failing to account for the fate of missing Greed Cypriots who were unlawfully deprived of their liberty in Turkish custody in 1974. What is needed and what is lacking in the efforts to find a solution of the long-standing tragic humanitarian problem of the missing in Cyprus, is less politics and more respect for human rights. So far, Turkey’s response to these efforts was more politics and distortions and no respect of human rights. My Government renews its appeal to Turkey to reverse her priorities on the issue of the missing persons and to comply, at last, even at this late stage with her obligations and responsibilities as envisaged by human rights instruments and international humanitarian law, and as befitting a Member State of the United Nations. I should be grateful if this letter were circulated as a document of the Commission on Human Rights under agenda item 10. (Signed): Nicolas D. Macris Ambassador