[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H1876-H1877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CYPRUS TALKS COME TO AN END

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, first let me tell the gentleman from 
Indiana that I would like to join in his remarks and I want to commend 
him for taking to the floor to talk about this issue. I agree with him 
wholeheartedly in what he has been saying tonight and previously.
  Madam Speaker, I come to the floor this evening to express my supreme 
disappointment with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash for his 
unwillingness to compromise, an action that led to the end of the 
Cyprus peace negotiations earlier this week.
  Yesterday, after some 20 hours of continuous negotiations, U.N. 
Secretary-General Annan declared they had reached the end of the road.
  Madam Speaker, let there be no doubt that Turkish Cypriot leader 
Denktash is to blame for this sorry conclusion. Yesterday, State 
Department spokesman Richard Boucher said he found it regrettable that, 
quote, ``Mr. Denktash has denied Turkish Cypriots the opportunity to 
determine their own future and to vote on such a fundamental issue.'' 
Lord David Hannay, Britain's special envoy for Cyprus, also blamed 
Denktash when he stated, and I quote, ``I am sad about it but I do not 
think that Mr. Denktash left him, Secretary Annan, any alternative.''
  Finally, in today's Washington Post, columnist Jim Hoagland writes, 
and I quote, ``The defiance of one grumpy old man derailed peace plans 
put forward by diplomats from the United States and the European Union 
because this grumpster would not see multilateral

[[Page H1877]]

reason. The stubborn, self-defeating unilateralist I have in mind is 
Ralph Denktash.''

                              {time}  1600

  Madam Speaker, despite yesterday's giant setback, the President of 
the Republic of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, stressed that the Greek 
Cypriot side ``will continue the efforts for reaching a solution to the 
Cyprus question both before and after Cyprus joins the EU.''
  Furthermore, President Papadopoulos pledged one more time to continue 
the efforts for a Cyprus settlement that would properly serve the 
interests of both Cyprus communities.
  On the other hand, after the peace talks ended yesterday, Turkish-
Cypriot leader Denktash continued his obstructionist actions 
threatening that if Cyprus accedes to the European Union on May 1, 
2004, that there will be a disaster. He went on to say that talks would 
be suspended until Turkey joins the European Union.
  Madam Speaker, Turkey's accession to the European Union was seriously 
undermined yesterday with the failure of a peace agreement. The Turkish 
government also bears blame for yesterday's developments after giving 
its full support to Denktash. New Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said 
on Monday that it was impossible for Turkey to accept the U.N. plan in 
its current form.
  Both the Turkish government and Denktash refused to listen to the 
thousands who have taken to the streets over the last couple of months 
in the occupied section of Cyprus and voiced support for a solution 
based on the U.N. plan.
  The leader of the Republican Turkish Party in Turkey accused both the 
Turkish government and Denktash of bringing the talks to a deadlock, 
and he stated, ``Mr. Denktash persuaded Turkey as well. Having the 
support of the powerful circles in Turkey he influenced the decision-
making mechanism and foiled them. He used the indecisiveness for not 
making a serious decision. Not being able to decide, Turkey decided to 
preserve the status quo.''
  Madam Speaker, I continue to believe that the Bush administration did 
not put enough pressure on the Turkish government to force Denktash to 
negotiate in good faith. Turkey must finally realize that by supporting 
Denktash's intransigence, it is causing harm to its own long-term 
interest as a potential full member of the European Union.
  After the setback of the U.N. efforts, the Bush administration must 
redouble its efforts to persuade Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriot leader 
to work constructively within the U.N. process to achieve a negotiated 
settlement to end the division of Cyprus.
  Madam Speaker, Turkey's 28 year illegal occupation of 37 percent of 
Cyprus has to come to an end. It is time for all the citizens of Cyprus 
to be reunited so they may all reap the economic rewards available with 
the nation's accession to the European Union. It is very unfortunate 
this occurred, but I continue to believe that we can somehow achieve a 
situation where the Turkish Cypriots will join with the Greek Cypriots 
in a unified Cyprus that would join the European Union at the time that 
is scheduled next year. I am still optimistic that can be achieved.

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