A/HRC/7/46
page 6
fate of the missing persons as soon as it is in a position to do so. In its resolution 1758
(2007), reiterating its call to the parties to assess and address the humanitarian issue of
missing persons with due urgency and seriousness, the Security Council welcomed the
progress and continuation of the important activities of the Committee on Missing
Persons.
15. As at December 2007, the remains of over 350 individuals had been exhumed
from sites on both sides of the buffer zone. Over 250 remains have undergone
examination at the Committee’s bicommunal anthropological laboratory in the United
Nations Protected Area in Nicosia. During July and August, following genetic analysis,
the first sets of identifications were concluded. As a result, 57 families received the
remains of their missing relatives (S/2007/699, para. 35).
16. In relation to Cyprus v. Turkey, the Committee of Ministers noted with
satisfaction the progress achieved by the Committee on Missing Persons, and, in
particular, the first returns to the families of the remains of their relatives. It has also
invited the Turkish authorities to provide additional information on certain data which
the families can obtain when the remains of their relatives are returned. The Committee
reiterated, however, its repeated invitation to the Turkish authorities to provide
information on the additional measures required to ensure the effective investigations
needed for the full execution of the Court’s judgement.7
17. In relation to the right to education of Greek Cypriots living in the north, the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe welcomed the continued functioning
of the secondary school in Rizokarpasso, as well as the fact that, since September 2005,
full secondary education for Greek Cypriot children is ensured. The Committee also
noted that censorship of schoolbooks no longer takes place, having been replaced by a
simple screening procedure which only results in a report containing
recommendations.8
18. Regarding the revision of history books, and in the context of Council of Europe
recommendation (2001) 15 on history teaching in twenty first-century Europe, history
books of the Republic of Cyprus have yet to be revised in accordance with the
principles therein. In February 2007, the Minister for Education of the Republic of
Cyprus decided to appoint a committee to revise history books on Cyprus used in the
Greek Cypriot educational system, a process still to be completed. Significant changes
were reported to have been made to Turkish Cypriot schoolbooks, on the whole
7
Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, Ministers’ Deputies Decisions, 1007th (DH) meeting, 15-17 October
2007 and Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, Ministers’ Deputies Decisions, 1013th (DH) meeting, 3-5
December 2007.
8
Interim resolution CM/ResDH (2007) 25 concerning the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights of 10
May 2001 on the case of Cyprus against Turkey. In that interim resolution, it is decided to close the examination of
the issues relating to the violations found under Article 2 Protocol 1 and Article 10 of the European Convention on
Human Rights.
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents