[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6021-S6022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 CYPRUS

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to draw the attention of my 
colleagues to the legacy of the July 20, 1974, invasion of Cyprus by 
Turkey and its ongoing occupation of that island nation. Thirty-six 
years later, the human dimension of the conflict and the artificial 
division of the country is evident in many areas. As Chairman of the 
Helsinki Commission, I am particularly mindful of the violations of 
human rights stemming from the occupation. I have walked along the 
U.N.-monitored buffer zone that cuts through the capital city of 
Nicosia. A visitor to Cyprus need not look far to discover the scars 
left by the artificial division of a capital and a country.
  A year ago this week, the Helsinki Commission held a public briefing, 
``Cyprus' Religious Cultural Heritage in Peril,'' to draw attention to 
this aspect of the legacy of the events of 1974. Experts at that 
briefing documented the scope of the destruction of sites in the north, 
including Orthodox churches, chapels and monasteries as well as those 
of other Christian communities. According to Archbishop Chrysostomos 
II, leader of the Church of Cyprus, over 500 religious sites in the 
area have been seriously damaged or destroyed. Subsequent to the 
briefing that Church of Cyprus filed a formal case with the European 
Court of Human Rights regarding its religious sites and other property 
in the north. A report prepared by

[[Page S6022]]

the Law Library of Congress, ``Destruction of Cultural Property in the 
Northern Part of Cyprus and Violations of International Law'' was 
released at the briefing.
  Helsinki Commission staff traveled throughout the region, visiting 
numerous churches, each in various stages of deterioration, all 
plundered, stripped of religious objects, including altars, iconostasis 
and icons. Other sites have been turned into tourist resorts, storage 
warehouses or other purposes, including stables, shops, and night 
clubs. Among photos on display at the briefing were those showing the 
desecrated ruins of graves with all of the crosses broken off of their 
bases and smashed. A nearby shed was stacked with broken headstones. A 
number of Jewish cemeteries in the region, according to reports, have 
likewise been vandalized and left in shambles. Finally, even the rare 
occasions when Orthodox services that are allowed to be conducted in 
the north such exceptional events are occasionally marred by security 
forces preventing worshipers from crossing into the area or the 
disruption of religious services.
  The Commission recently received an update from Dr. Charalampos 
Chotzakoglou, one of the experts who testified at our 2009 briefing. He 
reports a number of disturbing developments over the past year, 
including road construction through a church yard; transport of grave 
markers robbed from desecrated cemeteries, reportedly to be recycled as 
scrap metal; the further looting of artifacts from churches; and the 
known conversion of another church building into a night club. Dr. 
Chotzakoglou also reports on the continued difficulties in securing 
permission to conduct religious services at some of the sites in the 
north.
  The events of 1974 have taken a tremendous toll in so many areas, 
including Cyprus' rich religious cultural heritage. As we mark this 
36th anniversary, let us join in the hope that a resolution of the 
Cyprus question hammered out, by the Cypriots and for the Cypriots, 
will be found.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise in remembrance of a deeply tragic 
anniversary for the Cypriot-American community, their friends and 
relatives in Cyprus, and for people everywhere who believe in timeless 
values such as liberty and human dignity. Thirty-six years ago today, 
the armed forces of Turkey invaded Cyprus in flagrant violation of 
international law, occupied the north of the island state, and put in 
place a heavily armed force that continues to occupy nearly 37 percent 
of Cyprus' territory.
  There are more than 43,000 Turkish troops on Cyprus--that is 
approximately one Turkish soldier for every two Turkish Cypriots. 
Meanwhile, the occupation, expropriation, and destruction of Greek 
Cypriot-owned property in the north of the island continues unabated. 
Indeed, thousands of U.S. citizens of Cypriot descent have claims to 
such properties. So too continues the egregious desecration of Greek 
Orthodox churches and sacred religious artifacts that are not only 
sacred to hundreds of millions of faithful believers but beautiful and 
historic sites and objects of inherent cultural value to all of 
humanity.
  The international community, speaking through resolution after 
resolution by the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly, 
has since 1974 called for an end to the division of Cyprus and the 
return of refugees to their homes. After 36 frustrating years of 
diplomatic stops and starts, a cavalcade of U.N. special 
representatives and envoys, and untold hours of negotiations, the time 
has come for Turkey to concede that the Cyprus question is one that can 
only be resolved through mutual agreement on a solution, not the 
imposition of one. It is essential for Turkey to contribute practically 
and substantively to the negotiating effort and embrace in concrete 
terms a reunified and prosperous Cyprus where Greek Cypriots and 
Turkish Cypriots can live together in peace.
  Unfortunately, in a world that has witnessed the collapse of the 
Berlin Wall and the fall of communism, Cyprus remains as the last 
divided country in Europe. Yet despite a generation of suffering such 
injustices, the Greek Cypriot community continues to demonstrate 
remarkable magnanimity in seeking a fair solution to the division of 
the island. Cyprus and the U.S. share a deep and abiding commitment to 
upholding the ideals of freedom, democracy, justice, human rights, and 
the international rule of law. We must, in our solemn role as a nation 
that champions human rights and adherence to the rule of law, stand 
with the Cypriots to bring peace and stability to their island.
  I therefore urge my colleagues to join me today in bearing witness to 
the 36 years of injustice wrongfully brought upon the people of the 
Republic of Cyprus, and in recommitting ourselves to the urgent task of 
fairly and finally reuniting the island.

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