Resolution 37/253 (1983)

The UN General Assembly adopted on May 13, 1983, resolution 37/253 on Cyprus. The vote on the resolution was 103 in favour and 5 against with 20 abstentions. The votes against the resolution were cast by Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia and Turkey.

Following is the text of the resolution:

The General Assembly,

Having considered the question of Cyprus,

Recalling its resolution 3212(XXIX) of 1 November 1974 and its subsequent resolutions on the question of Cyprus,

Recalling the high-level agreements of 12 February 1977 and 19 May 1979,

Reaffirming the principle of the inadmissibility of occupation and acquisition of territories by force,

Greatly concerned at the prolongation of the Cyprus crisis, which poses a serious threat to international peace and security,

Deeply regretting that the resolutions of the United Nations on Cyprus have not yet been implemented,

Recalling the idea of holding an international conference on Cyprus,

Deploring the fact that part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus is still occupied by foreign forces,

Deploring the lack of progress in the intercommunal talks,

Deploring all unilateral actions that change the demographic structure of Cyprus or promote faits accomplis,

Reaffirming the need to settle the question of Cyprus without further delay by peaceful means in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant United Nations resolutions,

1. Reiterates its full support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, unity and non-alignment of the Republic of Cyprus and calls once again for the cessation of all foreign interference in its affairs;

2. Affirms the right of the Republic of Cyprus and its people to full and effective sovereignty and control over the entire territory of Cyprus and its natural and other resources and calls upon all states to support and help the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to exercise these rights;

3. Condemns any act which tends to undermine the full and effective exercise of the above-mentioned rights, including the unlawful issue of titles of ownership of property;

4. Welcomes the proposal for total demilitarisation made by the President of the Republic of Cyprus;

5. Expresses its support for the high-level agreements of 12 February 1977 and 19 May 1979 and all the provisions thereof;

6. Demands the immediate and effective implementation of resolution 3212(XXIX), unanimously adopted by the General Assembly and endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 365(1974) of 13 December (1974), and of the subsequent resolutions of the Assembly and the Council on Cyprus, which provide the valid and essential basis for the solution of the problem of Cyprus;

7. Considers the withdrawal of all occupation forces from the Republic of Cyprus as an essential basis for a speedy and mutually acceptable solution of the Cyprus problem;

8. Demands the immediate withdrawal of all occupation forces from the Republic of Cyprus;

9. Commends the intensification of the efforts made by the Secretary-General, while noting with concern the lack of progress in the intercommunal talks;

10. Calls for meaningful, result-oriented, constructive and substantive negotiations between the representatives of the two communities, to be conducted freely on an equal footing on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions and the high level agreements, with a view to reaching as early as possible a mutually acceptable agreement based on the fundamental and legitimate rights of the two communities;

11. Calls for respect of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, including the freedom of movement, the freedom of settlement and the right to property and the instituting of urgent measures for the voluntary return of the refugees to their homes in safety;

12. Considers that the de facto situation created by the force of arms should not be allowed to influence or in any way affect the solution of the problem of Cyprus;

13. Calls upon the parties concerned to refrain from any unilateral action which might adversely affect the prospects of a just and lasting solution of the problem of Cyprus by peaceful means and to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General in the performance of his task under the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council as well as with the United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus;

14. Calls upon the parties concerned to refrain from any action which violates or is designed to violate the independence, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus;

15. Reiterates its recommendation that the Security Council should examine the question of the implementation, within a specified time-frame, of its relevant resolutions and consider and adopt thereafter, if necessary, all appropriate and practical measures under the Charter of the United Nations for ensuring the speedy and effective implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations on Cyprus;

16. Welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General, as expressed in his report (Doc. A/37/805 of 6/5/1983), to pursue a renewed personal involvement in the quest for a solution of the Cyprus problem and, in view of this, requests the Secretary-General to undertake such actions or initiatives as he may consider appropriate within the framework of the mission of good offices entrusted to him by the Security Council for promoting a just and lasting solution of the problem and to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session on the results of his efforts;

17. Decides to include the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "Question of Cyprus" and requests the Secretary-General to follow up the implementation of the present resolution and to report on all its aspects to the General Assembly at that session.

Separate vote on paragraph 8
A separate vote was taken on operative paragraph 8, which was approved by 89 votes in favour, 5 against and 27 abstentions.
Separate vote on paragraph 15
A separate vote was also taken on operative paragraph 15 which was approved 86 votes in favour, 8 against and 25 abstentions.

Resolution 37/253 (1983)

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