[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 30 (Thursday, March 9, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S1955]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             NEW U.N. INITIATIVE FOR CYPRIOT REUNIFICATION

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to commend the President of 
Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, for promoting a new U.N.-sponsored 
initiative to resolve the division of the island of Cyprus. Cyprus has 
been divided for more than 30 years, following a 1974 invasion by 
Turkey. The time is ripe for resolving this longstanding split, and I 
applaud President Papadopoulos for taking the initiative to end the 
division.
  On February 28, 2006, President Papadopoulos met with U.N. Secretary-
General Kofi Annan and proposed that the U.N. appoint a special envoy 
for Cyprus to lay the groundwork for negotiations to end the division 
of Cyprus. President Papadopoulos also proposed a number of cross-
community confidence-building measures to strengthen the foundation for 
reunification. After the meeting, Secretary-General Annan and President 
Papadopoulos issued a joint statement agreeing on the resumption of 
bicommunal discussions on the technical aspects necessary to prepare 
the ground for full peace negotiations.
  There have been significant developments in Cyprus over the past 2 
years that make this the right time for reunification. Nearly 2 years 
ago, Cyprus joined the European Union, and in that time, the Government 
of Cyprus has promoted the opening up of several crossing points 
through the U.N.-patrolled cease-fire line. As a result, the Government 
of Cyprus has transformed the everyday realities on Cyprus to that 
unlike any other divided nation.
  Unlike other divisions with which my colleagues may be familiar, such 
as East and West Berlin, the people of Cyprus are able to cross the 
dividing line to visit their ancestral lands, work, and shop. Indeed, 
since the opening of crossing points, there have been more than 9 
million incident-free crossings. Every day, more than 10,000 Turkish 
Cypriots cross from the occupied territory to the government-controlled 
area to work. This increased economic activity and trade across the 
dividing line has contributed in more than doubling the per-capita 
income of the Turkish-Cypriots in the past 2 short years.
  As confidence building measures, President Papadopoulos has proposed 
to take additional steps to build on the gains of the past 2 years. The 
Government of Cyprus has already proposed the reopening of the occupied 
Port of Famagusta and the return of the adjacent city of Varosha to its 
original inhabitants; a ``ghost'' city that has been abandoned since 
the 1974 Turkish invasion. Famagusta would operate under the joint 
administration of the two communities, bringing the two communities 
closer together, and also under the EU's regulatory auspices, enhancing 
trade opportunities. President Papadopoulos has also proposed to open 
additional crossing points to make travel and trade between the two 
communities easier.
  Last week, the European Union announced economic aid to the Turkish 
Cypriots of 139 million eurodollars--approximately $165 million. The 
Government of Cyprus had pushed strongly for this aid, despite 
unfortunate attempts by others to attach preconditions and political 
stipulations to its release. This aid from the EU further demonstrates 
the positive effect of Cyprus's EU membership on the prospects for 
reunification.
  I applaud the steps that the Government of Cyprus and President 
Papadopoulos have taken to encourage a just and lasting solution to the 
Cyprus division. His meeting with Secretary-General Annan is a positive 
first step toward the resumption of reunification negotiations. On 
Cyprus today, the two communities are closer together than at any time 
since the invasion. Although prior reunification efforts have failed, 
the developments of the past 2 years offer the greatest prospect for a 
peaceful and lasting solution to the division.

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