[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12067-S12068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 331--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT TURKEY 
     SHOULD END ITS MILITARY OCCUPATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, 
    PARTICULARLY BECAUSE TURKEY'S PRETEXT HAS BEEN REFUTED BY OVER 
   13,000,000 CROSSINGS OF THE DIVIDE BY TURKISH-CYPRIOTS AND GREEK 
        CYPRIOTS INTO EACH OTHER'S COMMUNITIES WITHOUT INCIDENT

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Ms. Snowe) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 331

       Whereas it is in the best interests of the United States, 
     Turkey, Cyprus, the European Union, and NATO for Turkey to 
     adhere to United Nations resolutions and United States and 
     European Union policy and end its military occupation of the 
     Republic of Cyprus;
       Whereas 13,000,000 crossings of the divide by Turkish-
     Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots into each other's communities 
     without incident qualifies Cyprus' ethnic community relations 
     to be among the world's safest, regardless of circumstances;
       Whereas, unlike age-old ethnic frictions in the region, 
     Cyprus has historically been an oasis of generally peaceful 
     relations among ethnic communities, as is reflected in many

[[Page S12068]]

     Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot emigrants seeking each 
     other as neighbors in places like Great Britain;
       Whereas United States interests, regional stability, and 
     relations between United States allies Greece and Turkey will 
     improve with an end to the occupation of Cyprus;
       Whereas Turkey's European Union accession prospects, which 
     require approval by each European Union nation, will improve 
     if Turkey ends its hostile occupation of Cyprus, a European 
     Union nation;
       Whereas Turkey's image for religious tolerance will improve 
     by removing troops that have allowed, as German Chancellor 
     and European Union President Angela Merkel recently said, 
     ``destruction of churches or other religious sites'' under 
     their control; and
       Whereas overlooking Turkey's occupation of Cyprus injures 
     the moral standing of the United States internationally and 
     doesn't help the image of the United States in Turkey, which 
     recently ranked last in a 47-nation Pew survey for favorable 
     views of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) calls on the United States Government to initiate a new 
     effort to help Turkey understand the benefits that will 
     accrue to it as a result of ending its military occupation of 
     Cyprus;
       (2) urges the Government of Turkey to immediately begin the 
     withdrawal of its military occupation forces from the 
     Republic of Cyprus; and
       (3) urges the Government of Turkey to complete the 
     withdrawal of its occupation forces in the near future so 
     that Turkey, Cyprus, the region, and the United States can 
     begin realizing the benefits of the end of that occupation.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I am here to offer a resolution which 
calls on Turkey to immediately begin the withdrawal of its troops from 
Cyprus and end its military occupation. Turkish troops have now been in 
Cyprus for over 33 years. The number of these troops has increased over 
the last three decades so that there are now more than 43,000, making 
this area one of the most militarized in the world.
  Let me be clear. There is no legitimate justification for the 43,000 
Turkish troops to be in Cyprus. Cyprus is a peaceful country. Millions 
of people have been crossing the buffer zone without incident for 
years. There are no military attacks and there is no need for military 
protection of Turkish Cypriots. In the end, these troops only serve to 
create military tension. Again, there is absolutely no legitimate 
justification for this military occupation.
  In fact, Cyprus has historically been an oasis of generally peaceful 
relations. When Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots emigrate to Great 
Britain from Cyprus, they often seek to live next to each other as 
neighbors.
  This resolution highlights these examples and uses them as evidence 
to urge Turkey to immediately begin the withdrawal of its military 
occupation. And it notes the importance of Turkey fulfilling this as 
soon as possible so that Turkey, Cyprus, the region and the United 
States can work more closely on other strategic issues.
  This resolution, in addition, calls on the U.S. Government to 
initiate a new effort to help Turkey understand the benefits of ending 
its military occupation of Cyprus. Such benefits include: Improving 
Turkey's European Union accession prospects; improving regional 
stability; improving relations with Greece; improving relations with 
the United States and; improving Turkey's image on religious tolerance.
  It is also in the best interest of the U.S., the European Union, and 
NATO for Turkey to end its military occupation of the Republic of 
Cyprus. Sadly, Turkey ranked last in a recent 47-nation Pew survey for 
favorable views of the U.S. Ending their occupation will offer more 
opportunities for U.S.-Turkey cooperation which will only improve our 
image in this key U.S. ally.
  For the U.S. to remain silent during this unjust occupation injures 
our moral standing internationally. Because silence is complicity, we 
must speak out.
  That is why I am proud to be the lead on this resolution with Senator 
Snowe which calls on Turkey to end its unjust military occupation in 
Cyprus.

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