TWENTY-SEVENTH ORDINARY SESSION

RECOMMENDATION 759 (1975)1
on the situation in Cyprus

The Assembly,

1. Having regard to the report of its Political Affairs Committee on the situation in Cyprus (Doc. 3600), including the report of the Assembly's working group on Cyprus after its visits to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey;
2. Having regard to the reports on the United Nations operation in Cyprus submitted by its Secretary General, as well as to the resolutions on the situation in Cyprus approved by the UN Security Council and General Assembly;
3. Recalling its own preoccupation and repeated intitiatives since the emergency meeting of the Standing Committee on 29 July 1974 with regard to the development of the Cyprus crisis;
4. Expressing its deep concern about the political deadlock between the member countries of the Council of Europe directly involved, and about the continuing suffering of the Cypriot population in particular;
5. Reaffirming its conviction, constantly reiterated since 29 July 1974, that direct negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities are the most appropriate way to reach agreement on the principles of a future political settlement acceptable to Greek Cypriots as well as Turkish Cypriots and which ensures the basis for a just, lasting and peaceful settlement to the benefit of the whole Cyprus population;
6. Expressing its wish that such a settlement guarantee the sovereignty of a united and independent Republic of Cyprus which would not only fulfil the conditions for an effective political and economic system on the island in the future, but also provide for its active participation in the Committee of Ministers and the Assembly of the Council of Europe;
7. Urging all parties interested in the substance of a Cyprus settlement to refrain from any action which might prejudice the negotiations between the representatives of the two communities and to be aware of the dangers resulting from a possible radicalisation amidst the distressed population in Cyprus;
8. Calling upon all political leaders in the countries directly involved to put an end to a long-lasting deadlocked debate on principles, to act upon public opinion in order to overcome deep-rooted prejudices and psychological barriers in the population of their countries, and to facilitate by these means, above all national interests, the holding of substantial political negotiations on the Cyprus problem directly between the two main communities of the island;
9. Affirming its own determination:
10. to encourage, through its political groups, its committees and its plenary debates, personal contacts in a climate of reconciliation between parliamentarians and political leaders of the countries directly involved;
11. to maintain the Cyprus problem as an item on its agenda, and to carry on its efforts unceasingly to promote an adequate solution acceptable to the parties involved;
12. Regretting that the Committee of Ministers was too hesitant in its attempts at bringing together the points of view of the parties involved,
13. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
14. call upon all members states to contribute actively to the Council of Europe Emergency Fund, in co-ordination with the specific budgets and programmes of the United Nations operations (UNFICYP), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other humanitarian organisations, in order to guarantee the security and ease the suffering of the Cyprus population;
15. call upon member countries to implement Recommendation 756, of January 1975, on humanitarian aid to the distressed populations in Cyprus and reactivation of its economy;
16. provide an adequate forum for discussion and exchange of views between the member states directly involved in the Cyprus problem;
17. offer the two Cypriot communities its good offices for their negotiations, so whenever they feel it appropriate, they can rely on the information and the technical experience of the various departments of the Council of Europe.