Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Maria Michael, stressed at the UN Security Council that the UN Charter remains ‘the cornerstone of the multilateral system’ and the ‘indispensable foundation for international peace and security,’ warning that its principles must not be applied selectively.
Speaking in her national capacity, after aligning Cyprus with the European Union statement, she said the Charter was born from the ‘devastation of the Second World War’ as a commitment to prevent ‘future generations from the scourge of war’ and to build an international order based on ‘sovereign equality, peaceful coexistence and respect for international law.’
Ambassador Michael underlined that today’s international environment is marked by an ‘increasingly complex and volatile landscape,’ including proliferating armed conflicts, rising humanitarian needs, climate change, threats to maritime security and freedom of navigation, and technological developments advancing faster than governance frameworks can adapt.
She argued that such challenges ‘cannot be addressed through unilateralism or selective approaches,’ but require ‘effective multilateralism, firmly centered on the United Nations.’
Focusing on the core principles of the Charter, she emphasized that respect for ‘sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence cannot be applied selectively or conditionally.’
Drawing on Cyprus’ own experience, she said that for more than 50 years the country has faced the consequences of ‘illegal foreign military invasion and ongoing occupation,’ in violation of the Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions. ‘No sustainable peace can be achieved through military aggression, foreign occupation or the creation of fait accompli,’ she said.
The Cypriot representative also warned that Security Council resolutions ‘cannot be treated a la carte,’ and that violations of international law must not become normalized ‘simply through the passage of time.’
She called for respect for international judicial institutions, recalling that under Article 94 of the Charter, states must comply ‘in good faith’ with decisions of the International Court of Justice.
She also stressed that international humanitarian law must be respected in all armed conflicts and that accountability must remain central to the credibility of the international system.
Concluding, Ambassador Michael called for a more ‘effective and credible Security Council,’ with greater focus on ‘prevention, transparency and consistent action.’ Eight decades after its adoption, she said, the Charter remains ‘our shared point of reference’ in an uncertain world.
For Cyprus, she added, its principles are ‘not abstract concepts,’ but ‘essential safeguards for peace, justice, sovereignty and international stability.’