[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 121 (Thursday, July 26, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10137-S10139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I believe that Members of the Senate and 
House of Representatives will be pleased that two of our distinguished 
former colleagues were this month honored by President of the Republic 
of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos.
  In ceremonies on July 3 at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, the 
capital of Cyprus, President Papadopoulos bestowed on Senator Sarbanes 
and Congressman Brademas the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III.
  John Brademas, who served for 22 years as Representative in Congress 
from the District centered in South Bend, IN, was author or coauthor of 
much of the legislation enacted during those years in support of 
schools, colleges, and universities; libraries and museums; the arts 
and the humanities. In his last 4 years, he was Majority Whip of the 
House of Representatives.
  Paul Sarbanes served in the House of Representatives for 6 years and 
the Senate for 30 years. As chair of the Senate Committee on Banking 
and Urban Affairs, he was principal author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 
2002, to ensure integrity in corporate governance.
  Both John Brademas and Paul Sarbanes were Rhodes scholars and so 
studied at Oxford University, from which both earned degrees. John 
Brademas also graduated from Harvard University and Paul Sarbanes from 
Princeton University and the Harvard Law School.
  John Brademas was the first native-born American of Greek descent 
elected to Congress, House or Senate; Paul Sarbanes was the first 
Greek-American elected to the Senate. I note that his son, John 
Sarbanes, was last November in Maryland elected to Paul's former seat 
in the House of Representatives.
  While in Nicosia, both former Senator Sarbanes and former Congressman 
Brademas also visited the HSPH-Cyprus International Initiative for the

[[Page S10138]]

Environment and Public Health, a program associated with the Harvard 
School of Public Health.
  At this point in the Record, I ask unanimous consent that the remarks 
of President Papadopoulos of the Republic of Cyprus at the Presidential 
Palace, Nicosia, Cyprus, on July 3, 2007, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   Remarks of President Tassos Papadopoulos of the Republic of Cyprus

       Senator Sarbanes; Congressman Brademas; Your Eminence, 
     Archbishop Chrysostomos; Your Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios; 
     Ambassador Schlicher; distinguished friends and guests,
       It gives me great pleasure to welcome you tonight at the 
     Presidential Palace in order to pay tribute to two long-
     standing and unwavering supporters of the people of the whole 
     of Cyprus, Senator Paul Sarbanes and Congressman John 
     Brademas.
       I have had the privilege of knowing both these 
     distinguished gentlemen for many years and I consider them to 
     be among the most ardent, tireless and unflinching supporters 
     for the just cause of Cyprus in the United States.
       Senator Sarbanes and Congressman Brademas ably represented 
     the people in their respective constituencies for decades, as 
     well as successfully advancing the aspirations and objectives 
     of the Hellenic American Community. I can think of no other 
     two people who have done more for the nurturing of closer 
     bonds between the people of Cyprus and the United States of 
     America. I have always held the view and have declared on 
     several public occasions that the first loyalty of Americans 
     of Greek origin is to their host country, the United States 
     of America. When, however, the best interests of the United 
     States and the rules of international law and practice are 
     not incompatible with the special interests of Greece and of 
     Cyprus, we hope and expect that they will lean towards and 
     publicly remember their ethnic roots. Both gentlemen have 
     admirably honoured these principles.
       For all these reasons, the Government of the Republic of 
     Cyprus has decided to pay tribute to their life-long 
     commitment to the Rule of Law, ``justice for Cyprus'', for 
     the condemnation of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, for the 
     end of the occupation of Cyprus soil by Turkish troops, for 
     the end of the massive violations of human rights in Cyprus 
     by Turkey and for promoting a just, functional and lasting 
     solution to the Cyprus issue.


                             JOHN BRADEMAS

       John Brademas was born in Mishawaka, Indiana, of Greek 
     parentage. He was elected to the United States Congress in 
     1958 as a Representative of Indiana's Third District, thus 
     becoming the first U.S.-born Greek-American to be elected to 
     the United States Congress and paving the way for, among 
     others, Paul Sarbanes, Paul Tsongas and Mike Bilirakis.
       He represented his district for twenty-two years (1959-
     1981), the last four as Majority Whip for the Democratic 
     Party. Upon leaving Congress, Dr. Brademas served as 
     President of New York University from 1981 to 1992 and has 
     since been President Emeritus. He has been integral in 
     establishing a close-knit relationship between Cyprus and New 
     York University, examples of which are the current 
     excavations in Yeronisos under Professor Joan Connelly and 
     the Cyprus Global Professorship on History and Theory of 
     Justice, which I will have the honour of inaugurating in 
     September.


                             PAUL SARBANES

       Paul Sarbanes was born in Salisbury, Maryland, of Greek 
     parents. After serving in the Maryland House of Delegates for 
     four years, he was elected to the United States Congress in 
     1970 and served in the House of Representatives for six 
     years.
       In 1976 he was elected to the United States Senate for the 
     State of Maryland and was re-elected four more times, serving 
     for a total of thirty years, before retiring this January. As 
     Chair of the Senate Banking and Urban Affairs Committee in 
     2001-02, he was the main architect of the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley 
     Act, which effectuated one of the most significant changes to 
     United States Securities laws in over 70 years.
       As impressive as their domestic record, it is the steadfast 
     support for the just cause of Cyprus of Senator Sarbanes and 
     Congressman Brademas which brings us here today.
       Immediately after the Turkish invasion of 1974, John 
     Brademas and Paul Sarbanes, with the help of the late 
     Congressman Benjamin Rosenthal of New York and Senator Thomas 
     Eagleton of Missouri, who recently passed away, led the 
     successful effort of enforcing an arms embargo against 
     Turkey. As Dr. Brademas put it himself, Paul Sarbanes and he 
     were not the Greek lobby, but the ``rule of law lobby''.
       This last notion forms the cornerstone of their support 
     towards Cyprus. Both men have for many years advocated for a 
     just solution to the Cyprus problem, not only because it is a 
     Hellenic issue, but because it is essentially a rule of law 
     and human rights issue, under United States law. Only a 
     solution based on the relevant Security Council Resolutions 
     and in accordance with the principles of international law, 
     as well as the Acquis Communautaire of the European Union, 
     can secure a permanent, viable and stable solution, which 
     will benefit all Cypriots. Such a solution, which is not 
     tailor-made for the satisfaction of outside parties, will 
     enhance the stability of the Eastern Mediterranean and is 
     conducive to the interests of the United States.


                            THE RULE OF LAW

       John Brademas and Paul Sarbanes consistently advanced the 
     cause of Cyprus throughout their political careers. In so 
     doing, they have been the embodiment of values cherished by 
     America, such as the rule of law, respect for human rights 
     and democratic governance, which are, alas, all too often 
     swept aside for reasons of political expedience.
       Tonight's honourees, have been exceptional leaders of the 
     Greek-American Community. I would be remiss if I did not 
     dedicate a few words towards the Hellenic diaspora in the 
     United States. The President of the Cyprus Federation of 
     America, Mr. Peter Papanicolaou, is amongst us today, so I 
     take this opportunity to convey through him the sincere 
     appreciation of the Cypriot people for the Community's 
     tireless support and to urge you, dear Peter, to continue 
     with your efforts until Cyprus is free and freely reunified, 
     in its territory, society, institutions and economy.
       I would also like to welcome again to Cyprus the spiritual 
     leader of the community, His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, 
     and to thank him for his efforts to stop the pillage and 
     destruction of Cyprus' religious and cultural heritage in the 
     occupied area.
       Before I conclude my remarks, I wish to once again express 
     the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of the Government 
     and people of Cyprus to Paul Sarbanes and John Brademas for 
     their unwavering commitment, all these years, and to wish 
     them the best of luck for all their future endeavors.
       Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, at this point in the Record, I ask 
     unanimous consent that the remarks of former Congressman 
     Brademas on this occasion be printed in the Record. Senator 
     Sarbanes responded extemporaneously on this occasion.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

 Remarks of Dr. John Brademas President Emeritus, New York University 
     and Former Member, Indiana, 1959-1981, United States House of 
                            Representatives

       President Papadopoulos; Your Eminence, Archbishop 
     Chrysostomos; Your Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios; Ambassador 
     Schlicher; distinguished guests and friends all, I want to 
     express to you, Mr. President, my deepest appreciation for 
     the high honor that you do my colleague and valued friend, 
     Senator Paul Sarbanes, and me with the award of the Grand 
     Cross of the Order of Makarios III.
       I want to recognize as well Dr. Phillip Mitsis, Alexander 
     S. Onassis Professor of Hellenic Culture and Civilization and 
     Professor of Classics at New York University, and his wife, 
     Sophia Kalantzakos, a Member of the Parliament of Greece.
       Let me here also thank the distinguished Ambassador of the 
     United States to the Republic of Cyprus, His Excellency, 
     Ronald L. Schlicher, for having this week so graciously 
     received Senator and Mrs. Sarbanes, my wife and me.
       It was nearly one year ago, on September 8, 2006, that I 
     had the privilege of welcoming to New York University the 
     distinguished President of the Republic of Cyprus, His 
     Excellency, Tassos Papadopoulos, and now I am pleased to be 
     in the country he so faithfully serves as leader.
       I hope, Mr. President, and ladies and gentlemen, you will 
     allow me a few words to say why this honor is so meaningful 
     to me.
       As most of you know, I am the first native-born American of 
     Greek origin elected to the Congress of the United States--my 
     late father was born in Kalamata.
       I was for 22 years a Member of the House of 
     Representatives, from the State of Indiana.
       In Congress, I was a member of the committee with 
     responsibility for education legislation and so helped write 
     all the laws enacted during those two decades and two years 
     to support schools, colleges and universities; libraries and 
     museums; the arts and the humanities. And in my last four 
     years, I served as the Majority Whip of the House of 
     Representatives, part of the Leadership of the Democratic 
     Party.
       In 1981 I became president of New York University or, as we 
     call it, NYU, the largest private university in my country. I 
     am now president emeritus.


                         SENATOR PAUL SARBANES

       I am so pleased that my distinguished friend, United States 
     Senator Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, is here with his lovely 
     wife, Christine, and am, of course, delighted that my 
     brilliant and beautiful physician wife, Mary Ellen, has 
     joined me for this ceremony.
       And I want to thank my dear cousin, Anna Bredima-
     Savopoulou, Counsel for the Union of Greek Shipowners, for 
     having flown here from Athens to be on hand for this 
     ceremony. I am very proud of Anna's accomplishments.
       Paul Sarbanes, as you know, for many years a leading member 
     of the United States Senate and, indeed, the first Greek-
     American elected to the Senate, and a valued ally in the 
     struggle for justice for Cyprus, is someone I have often 
     described as ``a modern Pericles''.
       I am delighted that Paul's son, John Sarbanes, was last 
     November elected to represent Paul's former constituency in 
     the

[[Page S10139]]

     House of Representatives even as I'm pleased to say that only 
     a few weeks ago, Michael Sarbanes, another son of Paul and 
     Christine, has announced his candidacy for the presidency of 
     the City Council of Baltimore. Obviously, politics runs in 
     the Sarbanes family!
       I'm glad, too, to welcome some other friends from my days 
     in Washington, including the distinguished former Ambassador 
     of Cyprus to the United States, Andreas Jacovides, and his 
     wife, Pamela, as well as two great champions of the Hellenic 
     cause in my country and, indeed, the world, Andrew Athens and 
     Andrew Manatos.
       I'm pleased also that two vigorous voices of the Cypriot 
     community in the United States are here today, Phillip 
     Christopher and Panicos Papanicolaou.
       I'm glad as well to greet a colleague from New York 
     University, an outstanding scholar, Professor Joan Breton 
     Connelly, leader of the excavation of Yeronisos Island and of 
     an international team there. Professor Connelly has just 
     published a magnificent book, Portrait of a Priestess: Women 
     and Ritual in Ancient Greece, which has won splendid reviews 
     in the New York Times and New York Review of Books.
       And I must salute that eminent archaeologist, Professor 
     Vassos Karageorghis, director of the Anastasios G. Leventis 
     Foundation.


                           LINKS WITH CYPRUS

       I have still other links with Cyprus.
       I serve on the international advisory counsel of The Pharos 
     Trust, that splendid chamber of cultural activity in Cyprus, 
     led by Garo Keheyan. And as a graduate of Harvard University, 
     I'm pleased also to serve on the Executive Council of the 
     Cyprus International Initiative for the Environment and 
     Public Health--Harvard School of Public Health. And as I'm 
     recalling connections, I'm glad again to see a respected 
     Cypriot businessman, George Paraskevaides, and his wife, 
     Thelma.
       Tonight I recall that it was nearly ten years ago in June 
     of 1998, that I had the privilege of visiting the University 
     of Cyprus and being received by its distinguished Rector, 
     Professor Dr. Miltiades Chacholiades, and of addressing 
     members of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry and 
     Cyprus American Business Association.
       Of course, particularly meaningful, all the more so in 
     light of the decoration Paul Sarbanes and I are today 
     receiving, is the trip Paul and I made in August 1977 when we 
     came here for the funeral of the great leader of the Cypriot 
     people, His Eminence, Archbishop Makarios.
       The connection, however, with Cyprus of which some of you 
     may be most aware is the one of which I shall say a few words 
     now.
       In 1967, when a group of Greek colonels overthrew young 
     King Constantine of Greece, I, the only Greek-American in 
     Congress, sharply attacked the coup. I refused to visit 
     Greece or go to the Greek Embassy in Washington and I 
     publicly opposed U.S. military aid to Greece, arguing that as 
     Greece was a member of NATO, which championed freedom, 
     democracy and the rule of law, none of which values the Greek 
     military junta supported, the United States should not be 
     sending them arms.


                       TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS

       In July 1974, the junta attempted to overthrow Archbishop 
     Makarios, President of Cyprus, an action that brought the 
     downfall of the colonels but also triggered two invasions of 
     Cyprus by Turkish armed forces, forces equipped with weapons 
     supplied by the United States, a legal ``No-No''.
       So I led a group of several Members of the House of 
     Representatives, including then Representative Sarbanes, to 
     call on the Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, and we told 
     him that as American law mandated an immediate halt to 
     further shipment of arms to any country using American 
     weapons for other than defensive purposes, he should enforce 
     the law and impose an embargo on further U.S. arms to Turkey.
       As this was the same week that Richard Nixon resigned the 
     presidency, I reminded Secretary Kissinger that the reason 
     Mr. Nixon was on his way in exile to California was that he 
     had not respected the laws of the land or the Constitution of 
     the United States.
       ``You should do so,'' I told Kissinger.
       He and the new President, Gerald R. Ford, refused to 
     enforce the law, and, therefore, we in Congress did.
       I remind you that the United States has a separation-of-
     powers constitutional system, not a parliamentary system! So 
     in 1974, Congress voted an embargo on sending further 
     American weapons to Turkey. As I have from time to time heard 
     criticisms, in respect of the role of ``the Greek lobby'' in 
     Congress, I observe that when we voted the embargo on further 
     U.S. arms to Turkey, there were only five of us of Greek 
     origin in Congress, all in the House of Representatives: John 
     Brademas, Paul Sarbanes, Peter Kyros, Gus Yatron--all 
     Democrats, all of whom supported the embargo--and one 
     Republican, Skip Bafalis, who voted against it. There were at 
     that time no Americans of Greek descent in the Senate.
       Accordingly, this so-called ``Greek lobby'' was effective 
     because of the validity of our arguments and, if I may say 
     so, of our work to generate support for our position not only 
     among Greek-Americans across the country but among other 
     Americans who shared our views.


                       ``THE RULE OF LAW LOBBY''

       We were ``The Rule of Law Lobby''!
       I shall not here take time to review with you my subsequent 
     experience when President Jimmy Carter, to my distress, as I 
     generally supported his Administration, called on Congress to 
     support lifting the embargo on Turkey despite the fact that 
     there had been no action to resolve the Cyprus question.
       Here I must pay tribute to my friend of many years, Costa 
     Carras, founder in London of ``Friends of Cyprus'' who has 
     continued to call attention to the issue that concerns us 
     all--justice for Cyprus. In my view, finding a just 
     resolution for Cyprus is an indispensable requirement as the 
     European Union considers the application for membership of 
     Turkey even as I believe there are other commitments Turkey 
     must make if it wishes to join the EU.
       First, of course, is that Turkey comply with the so-called 
     Copenhagen criteria, which include respect for minorities, 
     respect for human rights, respect for decent treatment of 
     peoples.
       Certainly it is not rational that a European Union member-
     state militarily occupy another EU member-state, and Cyprus 
     is now a member of the European Union.
       As today there are over 40,000 Turkish armed forces in 
     Cyprus, their continued presence, if Turkey were in the 
     European Union, would be an offense to common sense.
       I add that there are an estimated 160,000 Turkish settlers 
     in northern Cyprus while there are only 100,000 Turkish 
     Cypriots!
       A second point: It is also unreasonable for one member of 
     the European Union to refuse to give diplomatic recognition 
     to the existence of another member, and as we all know, 
     Turkey has refused to recognize the Republic of Cyprus.
       So these then are two of the conditions--removal of Turkish 
     troops and diplomatic recognition of Cyprus--that it seems to 
     me must be met by the Government of Turkey as it seeks to 
     join the European Union and take advantage of the benefits of 
     such membership.
       If a just settlement on Cyprus is one issue related to 
     Turkey's desire to join the European Union, there is another 
     of which I shall say a word.


                   ATTACKS ON ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

       Three years ago, His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, 
     Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, testified on 
     Capitol Hill before the United States Helsinki Commission. 
     His Eminence and religious leaders of other traditions voiced 
     their concern about the systematic efforts on the part of 
     Turkey to undermine the Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical 
     Patriarchate.
       I cite, by way of example, the expropriation by Turkish 
     authorities of properties of Christian Orthodox communities, 
     the refusal by the Turkish Government to accord recognition 
     as a legal entity to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the 
     shutdown of the Halki School of Theology and other attacks on 
     religious minorities--Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, 
     Roman Catholics, Jews.
       For an impressive analysis of Turkish persecution of 
     religious minorities, I refer you to the report issued only 
     in May of this year by the United States Commission on 
     International Religious Freedom.
       And I could add the powerful statement on religious freedom 
     made by Congressman Tom Lantos of California, chairman of the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States House of 
     Representatives, also last May. Chairman Lantos sent a letter 
     to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan urging him to take several 
     steps to liberalize Turkey's policies toward the Ecumenical 
     Patriarchate, once and for all.
       Forty-two of Chairman Lantos' Committee colleagues, 
     Democrats and Republicans, signed the letter urging the 
     Turkish Government to stop trying to bully the Ecumenical 
     Patriarchate into extinction.
       You here better than I can speak of the desecration of 
     Greek Orthodox churches in Turkish-occupied Cyprus.
       Let me conclude. As one who in the year 2001, in an address 
     at the Bosphorous University in Turkey, said that I wanted to 
     see a democratic Turkey, Turkey part of Europe and Turkey in 
     the European Union, provided that country comply with the 
     Copenhagen criteria, including respect for human rights, I 
     must tell you that in 1974, when Paul Sarbanes, our 
     colleagues and I in Congress voted an embargo on further 
     American arms to Turkey, we made clear that for us this 
     decision was a matter of respecting the rule of law--a point 
     I have made earlier.
       Paul Sarbanes and I, to repeat, were leaders of ``The Rule 
     of Law Lobby''!
       Paul Sarbanes and I and many of our former colleagues in 
     Congress--and I regret that I cannot include the present 
     President of the United States in this regard--will continue 
     to call on respect for the laws of our own country even as we 
     will continue to urge justice for the brave people of Cyprus.
       President Papadopoulos, thank you again for the great honor 
     that you do Senator Sarbanes and me.

                          ____________________