Former President of Cyprus Maps End to Ethnic Conflict

The former president of Cyprus called for an end to all ethnic conflict last night at the Kennedy School's Starr Auditorium.

Dr. George Vassiliou, who governed for five years until losing his post earlier this year, outlined five major points to reduce ethnic conflict in his speech, "Managing Ethnic Conflicts in the New World Order."

"The prevailing tendency [in the world] is that of cooperation and not of conflict," he told an audience of about 150. "If you look at the world objectively at this moment, we can be optimistic."

Vassiliou, who based his recommendations on the ethnic conflicts in his own country, said the first step in eliminating conflict is the realization that "violent ethnic conflicts are not inevitable."

He also warned that "intervention by outside powers-whatever their grievances-should be prohibited."

Vassiliou stressed, however, that the U.N. is the only legitimate force to intervene in conflicts.

Peacekeeping alone, he said, is inadequate to quell turmoil. Vassiliou said the U. N.'s efforts should be concentrated on peace-making instead.

"It is the bitter truth that 20 years of peacekeeping [in Cyprus] has not contributed to peacemaking," he said.

The peacekeepers allowed Turkey to increase its presence and further legitimize its occupation, said Vassiliou. The Cyprus conflict began, according to Vassiliou, when Greek Cypriots declared independence from British colonists.

The British, in turn, encouraged Turkey to consider Cyprus "very crucial for its own safety," said the former president.

In 1974, Greek colonels under the Junta government led a coup against Cyprus' president Archbishop Makarios.

After a failed first invasion, Turkey invaded the unstable island a second time, despite U.N. peacekeeping efforts. "[The Turks] introduced for the first time in post-war history ethnic cleansing," said Vassiliou.

Turkey occupied 40 percent of the island, making one-third of the Greek Cypriots refugees in their own country, he said.

All peace efforts since then have failed because Turkey has not accepted the principles to the solution which the U.N. unanimously agreed to, he said.