[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 95 (Wednesday, July 19, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H5481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             32ND ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take the time 
of Mr. Emanuel.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from New 
Jersey is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, this week people all around the world are 
hearing about the small island of Cyprus. Today, Cyprus is serving as a 
safe haven for thousands of Americans and others who have fled the 
violence of the Middle East.
  I would suspect, however, that most people around the world do not 
know that tomorrow Cyprus marks the 32nd anniversary of a very dark day 
in its history. That is the day Turkey illegally invaded the northern 
third of Cyprus. At a time when Cypriots are inviting thousands of 
people to their island as a way to leave behind violence, the actual 
island itself remains divided.
  I commend the Cypriot government for its effective work in 
coordinating evacuation efforts with both the U.S. Government and the 
world community. According to a State Department official, ``Cypriots 
have met every helicopter and ship with sandwiches and water and juice. 
They're just being fantastic.'' And this is nothing new, Madam Speaker. 
Cyprus has always been a strong ally of the United States.
  I hope Cyprus' actions of the last week will help the Bush 
administration reevaluate its relationship with the island Nation, a 
relationship that has cooled over the last couple of years.
  Until 2 years ago, both Democratic and Republican administrations 
consistently condemned the Turkish government for this illegal 
occupation and pressured the government to come to the negotiating 
table in an attempt to finally reunite Cyprus.
  Past administrations understood that the invading Nation of Turkey 
was to blame for the division and should, therefore, be punished 
accordingly. As a result, past administrations specifically forbid 
trade with the illegal government of the occupied north. Our government 
also prohibited directly flights into the occupied north. As long as 
Turkey continued its intransigence and refused to leave Cyprus, U.S. 
administrations correctly believed that they should not be rewarded.
  While this has been consistent U.S. policy, I am deeply concerned 
that over the past 2 years we have witnessed a blatant shift in Cyprus 
policy from the Bush administration, specifically from Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice.
  The U.S. State Department and Secretary Rice seem much more 
interested in rewarding those who illegally occupied the northern third 
of the Nation back in 1974 than actually reunifying the island.
  Over the past year, our State Department decided to allow Americans 
to fly into the occupied north, in direct violation of international 
law and the law of the Republic of Cyprus. Last year, I joined many of 
my colleagues from the Congressional Hellenic Caucus in sending a 
letter expressing our deep concern regarding the legality of these 
flights.
  In response, the State Department said that it was encouraging the 
elimination of unnecessary restrictions and barriers that isolate and 
impede the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community.
  Unfortunately, it did not end there. The State Department agreed to 
resume trade with the occupied north, a direct violation of both 
domestic law in law Cyprus and international law.
  Madam Speaker, I am deeply concerned that the State Department's new 
policy towards the government and the people of the occupied north will 
only delay reunification of the entire island. If the U.S. allows 
direct trade through routes in the north, what incentive do the illegal 
occupiers have to make any concessions?
  It is as if the State Department had completely for gotten who is 
responsible for the division of Cyprus in the first place. I have 
repeatedly encouraged Secretary Rice to take a historic look at the 
Cyprus problem over the past 32 years.
  Madam Speaker, I hope that the Bush administration remembers how 
helpful both the Cyprus government and the people of Cyprus have been 
over the last week. It is time that we return to the fair-minded 
policies enacted prior to 2005 so that we can finally bring about real 
negotiations that will finally reunify Cyprus. The 32 years of 
occupation must come to an end.
  And so as we recognize this dark anniversary, I hope that the Bush 
administration rewards the actions of Cyprus over this last week by 
returning to the policies of the past. They were the right policies 
then, and they would be the best policies now to foster an environment 
to end this division of Cyprus.

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