[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 18, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE FAILURE OF THE CYPRUS PEACE TALKS

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                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 18, 2003

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my disappointment 
about the failure of the latest Cyprus peace talks. United Nations 
Secretary General Kofi Annan carefully worked out an acceptable peace 
plan which represented a compromise approach. The UN peace plan to 
reunite Cyprus as a single bicommunal federation enjoyed strong support 
by the United States, the EU, and the wider international community. 
This plan would have satisfied the interests of both the Greek Cypriots 
and the Turkish Cypriots.
  I thus applaud Cypriot President Tapas Papadopolous who accepted the 
UN proposal and was prepared to submit the plan to a separate 
referendum on March 30. Moreover, immediately after the failure of the 
negotiations, Papadopolous announced that the Greek Cypriot side will 
continue its efforts for reaching a solution to the Cypriot issue 
within the UN framework.
  Likewise, I must express my disappointment to the Turkish Cypriot 
leader Rauf Denktash who was unwilling to settle for a compromise and 
rejected the plan. I join the international outcry at the Turkish 
side's obstructive attitude and urge Denktash to reconsider his 
approach. Indeed, the Turkish intransigence hurts first and foremost 
Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots themselves. The failure of the 
unification endeavors complicates Ankara's own efforts to join the 
European Union as the European Commission warned Turkey on March, 11. 
The Greek Cypriot part of the island is going to join the EU in May 
2004 with or without the Turkish Cypriots. Yet without a deal on the 
Cyprus issue, Turkey will find itself in a position of not recognizing 
a member of the European Union.
  Public demonstrations by the Turkish-Cypriot opposition in favor of 
the proposal further express clearly who will be the major victims of 
the failed talks: the Turkish Cypriots who will be excluded from the 
benefits of EU membership that the Greek Cypriot side will enjoy.
  I conclude in expressing my desire that the United States must remain 
involved in seeking a just and permanent solution to the Cyprus issue. 
The Bush administration must therefore put more pressure not only on 
the Turkish Cypriot leader but also on Turkey to cooperate 
constructively within the UN framework to realize a negotiated 
settlement on Cyprus.

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