[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1538-E1539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REAL HOPE FOR PEACE ON CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 2008

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, Sunday July 20, 2008, marked 
the 34th anniversary of the day in 1974 when Turkey intervened to stop 
an ethnic cleansing campaign against Turkish Cypriots by militant Greek 
Cypriots. Over the course of the next few days I am sure that a number 
of my colleagues will come to the floor of this Chamber to lament the 
so-called ``invasion'' of Cyprus. I have said this before and I say it 
again, I am deeply concerned when I hear some of my colleagues throwing 
barbs at the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey in an attempt to lay all the 
blame for this complicated issue at their doorstep. The truth is that 
an unbiased examination of the facts leads to a different conclusion; 
and by

[[Page E1539]]

distorting the facts, by continuing to perpetuate the myth that Turkish 
Cypriots and Turkey are solely to blame for this incident, I fear that 
such statements only undermine the good faith efforts of the United 
States, the European Union and other members of the international 
community to finally see this conflict resolved; and to see peace and 
prosperity come to all the people of Cyprus.
  Tragically, an historic opportunity to resolve the crisis was lost 
when the Annan Plan, a UN- brokered proposal to settle the dispute, was 
soundly defeated by the Greek Cypriots in April 2004. Although the plan 
had broad support from the international community, and was ratified by 
the Turkish Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots inexplicably rejected the 
proposal by a 3 to 1 margin. Those individuals and special interest 
groups who adhere to the ``blame Turkey'' school of thought on the 
status of Cyprus seem to ignore the irony of the fact that when offered 
the chance to vote for peace, it was the Greek and not the Turkish side 
that rejected peace.
  After the referendum, then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported 
to the Security Council that ``the Turkish Cypriot vote has undone any 
rationale for pressuring and isolating them;'' he called for all 
Security Council members to ``give a strong lead to all States to 
cooperate both bilaterally and in international bodies, to eliminate 
unnecessary restrictions and barriers that have the effect of isolating 
the Turkish Cypriots and impeding their development.'' Unfortunately, 
while the Greek Cypriots became full members of the European Union, 
little changed for the Turkish Cypriots and their economic and 
political isolation continues to this day.
  Despite the Greek Cypriots' failure to embrace peace and the 
international community's failure to end the economic isolation of the 
Turkish Cypriots; Turkish Cypriots continued to seek a just and a 
peaceful settlement to this crisis. Unfortunately, the issue was at a 
virtual standstill until recent elections in southern Cyprus brought a 
new Greek leadership to the forefront who seems more willing to reach a 
settlement.
  In fact, the two leaders in Cyprus, Greek Cypriot Demetris 
Christofias and Turkish Cypriot Mehmet Ali Talat, met on July 1, 2008 
and achieved a remarkable breakthrough by striking an agreement in 
principle on the issue of a single sovereignty and citizenship. They 
also agreed to meet again on July 25th to prepare for the first full-
fledged negotiations in four years. United States Assistant Secretary 
of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Daniel Fried, who has 
followed the talks closely, has said that: ``There's a chance . . . 
that we will be moving forward again in a way we haven't in some 
time.'' He has also hinted that the Administration is considering 
appointing a special envoy to Cyprus.
  Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Greek and Turkish Cypriot Leaders 
for their recent courageous steps; and I sincerely hope that when they 
meet again a few days from today that they will get down to the real 
work of reshaping Cyprus into a peaceful island that respects human 
rights and the fundamental freedoms for all Cypriots. I also sincerely 
hope that all of my colleagues will learn from their example and join 
with me to end the `blame game,' and instead advocate for an even 
handed approach to the thorny issue that is Cyprus, an approach that 
recognizes the fundamental equality of all Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

                          ____________________