[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1382-E1383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 36TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN P. SARBANES

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 20, 2010

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate what is now 
the 36th year since Turkey's invasion and occupation of the tiny island 
Republic of Cyprus. On this commemoration last year, I cautioned this 
chamber that Turkey's failure to honor democracy, human rights and the 
rule of law would accelerate Turkey's drift away from the West, on a 
course openly adverse to the interests of NATO, America and the 
European Union.
  Over the past year, Turkey's conduct has validated this concern. To 
many, this comes as a surprise. Yet, had we been honestly engaged with 
our NATO ally over the past three and half decades, we would have long 
ago recognized that the invasion and continued occupation of Cyprus is 
a symptom of Turkey's indifference to human rights, religious tolerance 
and democratic values. That indifference, which is engrained in 
Turkey's broader approach to world affairs, makes it an unreliable 
partner for the United States and a weak link in the NATO alliance.
  In the summer of 1974, NATO member Turkey invaded and occupied more 
than one-third of the island Republic of Cyprus. Coming at the height 
of the Cold War, and at a time of delicate relations between Greece, 
Cyprus, Turkey, and the NATO alliance, Turkey's invasion of Cyprus 
risked war with NATO member Greece and a resultant rupturing of the 
NATO alliance.
  Adding insult to injury, the weapons used by the Turkish military to 
invade Cyprus were those of its NATO benefactors, principally the 
United States. In 1975, the Congress imposed an arms embargo on Turkey 
for its offensive use of American weapons. Rather than fulfill

[[Page E1383]]

its NATO obligations, or follow its legal obligations as demanded by 
Congress, Turkey retaliated by closing all American military 
installations on Turkish soil, and by severely restricting American 
access at two NATO bases. At that time, military installations in 
Turkey were deemed essential surveillance posts in the Cold War fight 
against the Soviet Union. Turkey refused to reopen these facilities 
until the U.S. lifted the arms embargo, signaling that its relationship 
with the United States was never more than a transactional one, rather 
than one rooted in a shared commitment to the rule of law, individual 
liberties, democracy, and collective Western security.
  July 20th marks 36 years that the Turkish military has occupied 
Cyprus. In that time, neither the Republic of Cyprus nor its people 
have directed any aggression towards Turkey. In stark contrast, Turkey 
maintains an active colonization program where it is illegally 
resettling some 180,000 Anatolian Turks into the homes and possessions 
of the 200,000 Greek Cypriots it evicted from the occupied territories. 
The Turkish military is also systematically eradicating the Hellenic 
and Christian heritage from the occupied territories. All but 5 of the 
500 Greek Orthodox Churches in the occupied territories have been 
looted, desecrated, or destroyed. To no avail, the international 
community including the United States, the European Union, the United 
Nations, the European Court of Human Rights and the European Court of 
Justice have all called on Turkey to honor its international 
obligations and cease and desist from these hostilities against the 
people of Cyprus.
  The Republic of Cyprus is a full-fledged member of the European 
Union. Turkey seeks that status as well, but as a NATO member illegally 
occupying European Union soil, Turkey put NATO and the EU at 
loggerheads. The result is that the EU and NATO are unable to cooperate 
in the consolidation of their economic and strategic interests in the 
Eastern Mediterranean.
  Turkey's ongoing occupation of Cyprus is compelling evidence that it 
has little interest in meeting the standards of individual liberties, 
human rights and religious tolerance shared by America and other 
democratic nations. Lacking the ties that bind, Turkey is apparently 
quite willing to jeopardize relations with its long-time allies. 
Witness its 2003 denial of the deployment of U.S. forces along the 
Northern Iraq border and its recent vote in the U.N. against Iran 
sanctions.
  The United States and its allies must call upon Turkey to abide by 
international law and meet its responsibilities as a dependable NATO 
partner. And on this, the 36th anniversary of the invasion and 
occupation of Cyprus, the United States should demand an immediate 
withdrawal of the 45,000 Turkish soldiers now occupying northern 
Cyprus. Until that occurs, policymakers in the White House and in the 
Congress must press the issue in every interaction with their Turkish 
counterparts. In this way, the United States can work towards 
establishing a strong, enduring, and values based alliance with Turkey 
that will serve to bring justice to the people of Cyprus, strengthen 
NATO, and reinforce collective Western security.

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