[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 112 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE 29TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2003

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in the 
Hellenic Caucus in remembering the 29th anniversary of the Turkish 
invasion of Cyprus, which took place on July 20, 1974.
  On that day, in clear violation of international law, Turkish forces 
invaded northern Cyprus expelling 200,000 Greek-Cypriots from their 
homes. Many of these Greek-Cypriots literally had to flee for their 
lives, taking what little belongings they could as paratroopers dropped 
from the sky.
  Over 5,000 Cypriots were killed in the conflict, and to date 1,400 
Greek-Cypriots are still missing. Today, Turkey occupies 37 percent of 
Cyprus, an island smaller than the State of Connecticut, with a force 
of 40,000 troops in a country of just under 1 million people.
  Despite numerous United Nations General Assembly Resolutions urging 
Turkey to withdraw its forces, and the stationing of U.N. forces on the 
island, Turkey--in a further violation and disregard for international 
law--unilaterally declared the independence of the occupied territory 
of northern Cyprus in 1983. Aside from Turkey, no other country in the 
world has recognized the so-called ``Turkish Republic of Northern 
Cyprus.''
  But in spite of the island's artificial division, Cyprus has managed 
to make considerable progress over the last three decades even as it 
continues to seek a peaceful resolution with Turkey. And now with a 
vibrant democracy and a robust economy, Cyprus is also poised to 
officially join the European Union next year and to bring the benefits 
of membership to all Cypriots.
  Yet Turkey's intransigence continues. In November of 2002 U.N. 
Secretary General Kofi Annan presented both Greek and Turkish Cypriot 
sides with a comprehensive new plan aimed at reunifying Cyprus in 
advance of the island's accession to the EU. Though by no means 
perfect, this plan was a good faith attempt to create a workable 
solution that was fair to both sides. Initially, negotiations based on 
the U.N. plan provided hope to many that the Cyprus problem could 
finally be resolved after 30 years, due to the personal commitment of 
the Secretary General.
  However, it soon became clear that the leader of the Turkish-Cypriot 
side, Mr. Rauf Denktash, and the Turkish government were not fully 
invested in the negotiating process.
  In a last ditch effort to salvage the negotiations prior to the 
signing of the EU accession treaty, Secretary General Annan requested 
both Mr. Denktash and the Cypriot President, Tassos Papadopoulos, to 
join him at the Hague last March to discuss placing the U.N. plan 
before the Cypriot people in a separate, simultaneous referendum. 
Although President Papadopoulos was ready and willing to do so, Mr. 
Denktash, with support from Turkey, rejected that proposal.
  The international response to the rejection of a referendum by the 
Turkish side was clear and unanimous in its characterization of Mr. 
Denktash as the principal impediment to negotiating a solution that all 
Cypriots very much want.
  The current relaxation of longstanding travel prohibitions by the 
Turkish-Cypriots does not make up for a strong commitment to a 
negotiated settlement. In many cases this has only helped to underscore 
the depth of feeling of many Greek and Turkish Cypriots who long for 
the chance to return to their homes and villages.
  I hope that this will one day be possible, and I fully expect that 
once a settlement is concluded and Cyprus is finally re-unified, that 
both Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots will live together side-by-
side in harmony.
  But, today we stand in remembrance of those who were killed and those 
who were never found as a result of the illegal Turkish invasion. I 
hope that if Turkey is truly serious about joining Cyprus and Greece in 
the European Union that it immediately and unconditionally withdraws 
its forces and demonstrates a true commitment to a negotiated 
settlement.

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