Resolution 573 (1974)
Introduction: What is the Council of Europe?
“The Council of Europe is the oldest international organization working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation. It has 47 member states with some 800 million citizens.
The Council of Europe is NOT related to the European Union (EU) institutions that go by the similar names, "Council of the European Union" or the "European Council".”
The Council of Europe (COE) official website is located here…
http://www.coe.int/DefaultEN.asp
Now let’s have a look at a copy of the COE Resolution 573 (1974)
NB: Red sections are NOT part of the original document but serve to highlight important sections pertaining to the COE’s standing in this analysis…
CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
TWENTY-SIXTH ORDINARY SESSION
RESOLUTION 573 (1974) [1]
on the situation in Cyprus and in the Eastern Mediterranean area
The Assembly,
1. Recalling that the aim of the Council of Europe is to “achieve a greater unity between its Members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress”, and to promote peaceful co-operation among all nations;
2. Condemning the coup d’état carried out in Cyprus by officers owing allegiance to the Greek military dictatorship;
3. Regretting the failure of the attempt to reach a diplomatic settlement which led the Turkish Government to exercise its right of intervention in accordance with Article 4 of the Guarantee Treaty of 1960;
4. Bearing in mind the resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council on 20 July 1974, the reactions of the countries directly involved in the conflict, which have agreed to meet in Geneva, and the common position adopted by the member states of the European Community and the NATO Council,
5. Expresses the hope that the three signatory states of the Treaty of Guarantee can reach early agreement in Geneva on a permanent ceasefire and a fair, lasting and peaceful settlement of the Cyprus problem, which should take account of the legitimate needs and rights of the two communities of the island and of the vital interests of the countries concerned by the conflict, and would contribute to the elimination of the main causes of friction between the two communities, as well as between Turkey and Greece;
6. Considers that the two ethnic communities in Cyprus should be fully associated with all negotiations concerning the future of the island;
7. Calls upon the signatory states to guarantee the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Cyprus, including an improved status, guaranteeing the security and the rights of the Turkish community, as well as the political independence of a democratically governed Cyprus, as laid down when Cyprus became independent in 1960;
8. Calls in particular for:
-the re-establishment of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
-respect and a formal guarantee of the rights of the ethnic communities, in order to assure a lasting peace between the Greeks and Turks of the island;
-the holding of free and democratic elections as soon as possible;
9. Hopes, in particular, that the Government of Turkey and a future democratic Government of Greece will co-operate closely in finding common solutions for the political future of Cyprus as well as for other problems in the Eastern Mediterranean area;
10. Looks forward to welcoming in the very near future a parliamentary delegation including Greek and Turkish representatives of the Cypriot population;
11. Warmly welcomes the replacement of the Greek military dictatorship by a civilian government, the liberation of political prisoners, the liquidation of concentration camps and the abolishing of censorship as important steps towards a restoration of parliamentary democracy;
12. Looks forward to welcoming Greece back into the Council of Europe as soon as she has returned to democracy in accordance with the Assembly’s Resolution 558 of January 1974.
This COE Resolution 573 (1974) document can be currently found at the following sites…
http://www.hri.org/Cyprus/Cyprus_Proble ... s/A17.html
http://www.trncinfo.com/TANITMADAIRESI/ ... NTS/12.htm
Now let’s have a closer look at the three highlighted points…
3. Regretting the failure of the attempt to reach a diplomatic settlement which led the Turkish Government to exercise its right of intervention in accordance with Article 4 of the Guarantee Treaty of 1960;
This section simply acknowledges Turkey’s right of intervention in accordance with the Treaty of Guarantee but DOES NOT at this stage comment on how well Turkey exercised it! The criticism of Turkey’s implementation appears further down…
4. Bearing in mind the resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council on 20 July 1974,
This refers to UN Resolution 353 (1974) to be found here…
http://www.un.int/cyprus/scr353.htm
…which clearly CONDEMNS the Turkish invasion of Cyprus via the following statements:
“concerned about the necessity to restore the constitutional structure of the Republic of Cyprus, established and guaranteed by international agreements”
“Calls upon all States to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus.”
“Demands an immediate end to foreign military intervention in the Republic of Cyprus that is in contravention of the provisions of paragraph 1 above”
“Requests the withdrawal without delay from the Republic of Cyprus of foreign military personnel present otherwise than under the authority of international agreements, including those whose withdrawal was requested by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios, in his letter of 2 July 1974”
7. Calls upon the signatory states to guarantee the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Cyprus, including an improved status, guaranteeing the security and the rights of the Turkish community, as well as the political independence of a democratically governed Cyprus, as laid down when Cyprus became independent in 1960;
This section basically reaffirms UN Resolution 353 (1974), this time in WRITING, in case there are any misunderstandings!
Conclusion:
For many years now both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot community in defense of the illegal “TRNC”, have unashamedly intentionally MISINTERPRETED the COE Resolution 573 (1974) as a statement of legitimization of Turkey’s illegal invasion/occupation but nothing could be further from the truth as the COUNCIL OF EUROPE are meticulously clear in their condemnation.
Regards, GR.
