[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 118 (Friday, July 25, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF TURKEY'S INVASION OF CYPRUS, AND 
             EXPRESSING HOPE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT

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                       HON. BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 25, 2014

  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 40th 
anniversary of Turkey's occupation of Cyprus. In July 1974, Turkish 
forces invaded the Republic of Cyprus under the auspices of protecting 
Turkish Cypriots, dividing the nation and assuming control of one-third 
of the island.
   During the occupation, more than 5,000 Cypriots died and 
approximately 170,000 Greek- Cypriots fled their homes, forced to 
abandon their property and sacrifice many of their possessions. In the 
wake of the invasion, more than 1,500 Greek- Cypriots remained missing. 
To this day, Cyprus continues to try and locate the remains of the 
missing and provide some closure to the families.
   Despite the international community's expressed opposition to 
Turkey's invasion, the self-proclaimed ``Turkish Republic of Northern 
Cyprus'' has declared independence from the Republic of Cyprus for 40 
years. The status quo is untenable. Cyprus must achieve a resolution 
satisfactory to all Cypriots, which invariably necessitates a unified 
republic, free from foreign occupation.
   I applaud the Cyprus Government's recent attempt to reignite the 
negotiating process by proposing a series of bold, innovative 
confidence building measures. I call on Turkish Cypriots to abandon 
their intransigence and begin working constructively to achieve a 
comprehensive settlement.
   For more than fifty years, Cyprus has been an invaluable, reliable 
American ally in the Middle East. We must stand with Cyprus and support 
its efforts to retain its rightful sovereignty.

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