[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 141 (Monday, October 3, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF PERSONS MISSING FROM 
                                 CYPRUS

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 580, S. 1329, a bill to 
provide for an investigation of the whereabouts of certain United 
States citizens who have been missing in Cyprus since 1974.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill will be stated by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1329) to provide for an investigation of the 
     whereabouts of the United States citizens and others who have 
     been missing from Cyprus since 1974.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.


                           Amendment No. 2609

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I send a substitute amendment to the desk on 
behalf of Senators D'Amato and Simon.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment will be stated.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kansas [Mr. Dole for D'amato for himself 
     and Mr. Simon proposes an amendment numbered 2609.

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

                                S. 1329

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. UNITED STATES CITIZENS MISSING FROM CYPRUS.

       (a) Investigation.--As soon as is practicable, the 
     President shall undertake, in cooperation with appropriate 
     international organizations or nongovernmental organizations, 
     a thorough investigation of the whereabouts of the United 
     States citizens who have been missing from Cyprus since 1974. 
     Any information on others missing from Cyprus that is learned 
     or * * *. The investigation shall focus on the countries and 
     communities which were combatants in Cyprus in 1974, all of 
     which currently receive United States foreign assistance.
       (b) Report to the Families.--The President shall report the 
     findings of this investigation of the missing Americans to 
     the family of each of the United States citizens. Such 
     reports shall include the whereabouts of the missing.
       (c) Report to the Congress.--The information learned or 
     discovered during this investigation, shall be reported to 
     the Congress.
       (d) Returning the Missing.--The President, in cooperation 
     with appropriate international organizations or 
     nongovernmental organizations shall do everything possible to 
     return to their families, as soon as is practicable, the 
     United States citizens who have been missing from Cyprus 
     since 1974, and others who have been missing, including 
     returning the remains of those who are no longer alive.

  Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I rise today to comment on the passage of 
S. 1329, the missing in Cyprus bill.
  What this bill will do is to create an investigation into the 
whereabouts of 5 Americans and over 1,600 Greek-Cypriots missing in 
Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of that island. This has been a very 
delicate subject in Greek-Turkish relations for all these years, but 
these missing must be found. Information on their location must be 
discovered so that their families can finally go on with their lives.
  I am glad that this legislation has passed the Senate and I thank 
Senator Paul Simon, as well as Congressman Eliot Engel for their help 
in getting this legislation through both houses.
  While a peaceful settlement of the Cyprus question has yet to be 
accomplished, this legislation will go some distance toward resolving 
some of the outstanding questions from this complicated dispute.
  I ask unanimous consent that the final version of the bill be printed 
in the record and that my remarks be included in the Record following 
the bill.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask that the amendment be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amendment.
  So the amendment (No. 2609) was agreed to.


                      americans missing in cyprus

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, S. 1329, as amended, calls for an 
investigation that will, I hope, finally resolve the fates of five 
United States citizens missing in Cyprus since 1974. I sympathize 
deeply with the families of those five individuals. The loss of a 
family member is an inconsolable pain that does not lessen over the 
years.
  Many other families, of Turkish and Greek Cypriots, have suffered the 
loss of family members in Cyprus over the last 30 years. This bill 
requires that any information concerning the fates of these missing 
people discovered or learned during the course of the United States 
investigation be reported to the appropriate international or 
nongovernmental organization, so that other ongoing investigations 
concerning fates of all those missing in Cyprus, including those 
missing prior to 1974, may be resolved.
  While it is important for the eventual resolution of the Cyprus issue 
that the fates of these missing individuals be resolved, there are 
appropriate international bodies suitable for any further inquiries--
rather than the U.S. Department of State. We do have a special 
responsibility to determine the whereabouts of missing U.S. citizens, 
however, so that is the focus of this bill.


                           missing in cyprus

  Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, today the Senate will pass s. 1329, a bill 
to provide for the investigation of the whereabouts of the United 
States citizens who have been missing from Cyprus since 1974. I am very 
pleased to be an original cosponsor of this bill and to have worked to 
ensure its passage.
  In the summer of 1974, five American citizens disappeared in Cyprus 
during the turmoil following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This bill 
will direct the U.S. State Department to undertake an investigation of 
these cases to determine the fate of these Americans. In addition, 
thousands of Greek and hundreds of Turkish Cypriots also disappeared in 
Cyprus in wake of the Turkish invasion. The fate of the Americans is 
inextricably linked to the fate of many of these Cypriots. During the 
course of its investigation, the State Department, in conjunction with 
other international organizations, will uncover information about many 
missing Cypriots. S. 1329 also directs the State Department to release 
the information it uncovers on the missing Cypriots to the U.S. 
Congress and appropriate international organizations. This action will 
provide the families of the missing with answers and help the people of 
Cyprus heal the wounds that have divided this country for more than 20 
years.
  While the United Nations has formed a commission to look into this 
same issue, this commission has been bogged down by political 
infighting for over 10 years. After investigating over 500 cases of 
missing Cypriots, the U.N. Commission on the Missing in Cyprus has not 
yet reached a conclusion in any of these cases. No one expects the 
United States to solve all of these cases, but we should be able to 
learn the fate of the missing Americans and provide ample information 
to uncover the fate of many Cypriots. While the truth that is uncovered 
may not be pleasant for both the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, it will be 
a positive step in bringing about an end to the division of Cyprus.
  Cyprus' history for the past twenty years has been tragic. S. 1329 
may not magically reunify Cyprus, but it is a confidence building 
measure that will lead all Cypriots toward cooperation and 
understanding.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time; that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged 
from further consideration of the House companion H.R. 2826; that all 
after the enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 1329, as 
amended, be inserted in lieu thereof, the bill be read a third time and 
passed; the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; that S. 1329 be 
indefinitely postponed and any statements thereon appear in the Record 
at the appropriate place as though read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the bill (H.R. 2826) was deemed read a third time and passed.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________