[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15130-15131]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gutknecht). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Massachusetts 
(Mr. McGovern) is recognized during morning hour debates for 1 minute.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, 26 years ago on July 20, Turkey invaded 
Cyprus. I will enter into the Record at this time the statement on 
developments this year to resolve the human rights and political crises 
resulting from that illegal invasion.
  Mr. Speaker, in the almost 26 years of the division and occupation of 
Cyprus, many consider the next few months to be the best opportunity to 
bring about a Cyprus solution. Many developments have brought us to 
this moment of caution and hope.
  On December 3, 1999, proximity talks on the Cyprus problem were held 
for the first time in over two years. During the week of December 3-14, 
1999, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and U.N. Special 
Advisor on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto had a series of separate meetings in 
New York City with Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish-
Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
  Both sides laid out their position on the four core issues identified 
by the Secretary General: security, territory, separation of powers, 
and property. The completion of this first round of proximity talks and 
the agreement of the two sides to keep talking was widely praised and 
raised hopes that the climate may be shifting towards a concerted 
effort for a comprehensive settlement.
  A second round of talks took place in Geneva, Switzerland from 
January 31st through February 8th, 2000. During this round, the two 
sides explored in greater depth the range of issues and prepared the 
ground for meaningful negotiations.
  Shortly thereafter, during the period of February 28th through March 
1st, U.N. envoy Alvaro de Soto traveled to Cyprus for a familiarization 
visit. Mr. de Soto had a full program of meetings on both sides of the 
divide--in the southern, government-controlled areas of the Republic, 
and in the northern part illegally occupied by Turkey since its 
invasion in 1974. The visit also took de Soto across the U.N. 
controlled buffer zone to observe peacekeeping operations.
  I would like to say a few words about Alvaro de Soto, a diplomat who 
I know well. On behalf of the United Nations, Mr. de Soto successfully 
facilitated negotiations between the two warring parties in El 
Salvador's civil war. These were not easy negotiations: the differences 
and conflict between the two parties had a history going back decades 
and were of much-longer standing than just 12 years of armed conflict. 
Tens of thousands of civilians had been murdered during the war. And 
hundreds of others had disappeared. I quickly learned to respect and 
admire Mr. de Soto's diplomatic skills, his patience, and his 
understanding and ability to distinguish between those issues which 
must not be compromised and those that might be more easily brokered 
between the two parties if a lasting peace were to be secured. I was 
most impressed by his integrity and commitment to achieve a lasting 
peace, one that would bring real peace to a long-suffering civilian 
population. While I believe the Cyprus conflict is, in many ways, more 
difficult and intractable than El Salvador's, I have greater hope that 
a solution may be negotiated because of Alvaro de Soto's involvement in 
identifying core issues and steps that might lead to a successful 
agreement.
  Earlier this month, the parties met with Alvaro de Soto, again in 
Geneva, to continue proximity talks. Those discussions adjourned on 
July 12th and will resume on July 24th. They will proceed until early 
August and resume again in New York City at the United Nations on 
September 12th. We are all disappointed that Turkish Cypriot leader 
Denktash interrupted the process and left the talks to return for the 
Turkish Cypriot celebration of the July 20th invasion of Cyprus. I 
remain hopeful, however, that continued international interest in and 
pressure for a negotiated settlement will result in a return of good 
faith efforts by all parties to move the agenda forward when talks 
resume on July 24th.
  The international community has been consistent throughout the past 
quarter century in

[[Page 15131]]

expressing its support for a unified Cyprus. Over the past several 
months, it has been particularly forceful in expressing its support and 
desire for successful proximity talks leading to a comprehensive 
negotiated settlement. These include strong statements from the 
European Union, leaders of the G-8 nations, the United Nations Security 
Council, the Clinton Administration and the U.S. Congress.
  The people of Cyprus have suffered too long. A lasting and 
comprehensive solution, one based on international law and democratic 
principles, can and must be negotiated.
  Twenty-six years ago, on July 20th, Turkey invaded Cyprus. As a 
result, an estimated 35,000 heavily armed Turkish troops continue to 
occupy 37 percent of Cyprus' territory.
  I hope that this year, the beginning of the new millennium, a new 
anniversary will be created. It will be the year when the breakthrough 
happens and the people of Cyprus are blessed with peace, security, 
reconciliation and a single democratic sovereignty.

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