[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 111 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1573-E1574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            24TH ANNIVERSARY OF TURKEY'S INVASION OF CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. WILLIAM J. COYNE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 3, 1998

  Mr. COYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to protest the Turkish 
invasion of Cyprus.
  Even though the international community has condemned the Turkish 
government's action as a brutal violation of international law, Turkey 
has yet to comply with international pressures and remains the only 
nation in the world to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern 
Cyprus as a sovereign entity. Since 1974, the United Nations and other 
international organizations have repeatedly attempted to find a 
solution to this dispute, but the border separating the Cypriot and 
Turkish forces remains one of the most militarized in the world. 
Currently, over 30,000 troops retain control over the northern third of 
the island. Tensions remain high in the region, and, with the recent 
Turkish threats of military action, the prospects for a peaceful 
solution in the near future have been furthering reduced.
  The invasion of 1974 marked not just a defeat of Cypriot military 
forces, but the beginning of a policy of Turkish ethnic cleansing.

[[Page E1574]]

Massive portions of the Greek Cypriot population were dislocated, 
exposing them to the threats of starvation and poverty. The Turkish 
invasion did not solve the political disputes that had already fueled 
factionalism and ethnic hostility in Cyprus, but only intensified the 
animosity between Turkish and Greek Cypriots. Today, these communities 
stand isolated from one another, with the hopes for a unified society 
greatly diminished.
  Recurrent violence along the border has continuously proven 
detrimental to the United Nation's efforts to secure any type of 
lasting peace in the region. As recently as 1996, increased hostility 
along the buffer zone led to the injury and death of several soldiers. 
Strides toward gradual demilitarization remain essential to reducing 
tension in this delicate situation.
  I applaud the Clinton Administration's efforts to find a peaceful 
solution to this conflict. Recent visits by Richard Holbrooke, U.S. 
Presidential Envoy for Cyprus, underscore the United States' commitment 
to furthering political stability in the region. I implore the 
President to make it clear that violence should not be used to resolve 
this most recent crisis. United Nations-sponsored negotiations should 
recommence immediately. The United States must make it clear that it is 
willing to use foreign aid, sanctions, and its power as a member of 
several international organizations in order to compel a resolution to 
this conflict.
  While preventing violence is our immediate priority, our underlying 
goal of a lasting and constructive peace on Cyprus remains at the 
center of our efforts. When this most recent crisis passes, we must 
remain firmly committed to promoting peace and reconciliation on the 
island of Cyprus.

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