[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19194]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 2002

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that 
I speak today in honor of the 42nd Anniversary of the Republic of 
Cyprus. It was on October 1st in 1960, that Cyprus became an 
independent republic after decades of British colonial rule.
  I am very fortunate and privileged to represent Astoria, Queens--one 
of the largest and most vibrant communities of Greek and Cypriot 
Americans in this country.
  It is truly one of my greatest pleasures as a Member of Congress to 
be able to participate in the life of this community, and the wonderful 
and vital Cypriot friends that I have come to know are one of its 
greatest rewards.
  This year, Cyprus' Independence Day occurs at a time of great hope 
for the people of Cyprus and significant advances in U.S.-Cyprus 
relations.
  Cyprus is currently the leading candidate country for membership in 
the European Union during the EU's next enlargement round. On October 
9, the European Commission will issue its annual progress reports on 
all applicant countries. The EU's enlargement Commissioner, Gunther 
Verheugen, said on September 30 that Cyprus' progress report will be 
positive and will confirm that Cyprus meets the political and economic 
criteria for membership. The formal invitation to the 10 most advanced 
candidate countries, including Cyprus, is expected to be issued in 
December in Copenhagen, which would allow them to join the EU on 
January 1st, 2004.
  On June 21, 2001, I joined my colleague, Representative Michael 
Bilirakis in introducing HCONRES 164, a bill that expresses the sense 
of Congress that security, reconciliation, and prosperity for all 
Cypriots can be best achieved within the context of membership in the 
European Union which will provide significant rights and obligations 
for all Cypriots. This bill has 83 bipartisan cosponsors and passed 
unanimously in the Europe Subcommittee of the House International 
Relations Committee. I believe we must pass this bill on the House 
floor in order to voice support during a crucial period of major 
developments for Cyprus' EU bid.
  The commemoration of Cyprus' Independence Day this year, as in the 
past 28 years, is clouded by the fact that 37 percent of the 
Mediterranean island nation's territory continues to be illegally 
occupied by the Turkish military forces, in violation of U.N. Security 
Council resolutions. But Cyprus remains committed to achieving a 
peaceful resolution of this tragic problem through negotiations.
  United Nations-sponsored negotiations are ongoing in an effort to 
resolve the 28-year division of Cyprus under the framework of U.N. 
Security Council resolutions. The next round of meetings between the 
President of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides, and the Turkish 
Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, 
are scheduled for October 3-4 in New York. U.N. Secretary General Annan 
said on September 30 that talks to end the division of Cyprus will 
continue even after the December 12 decision by the European Union, to 
accept Cyprus as a member. Mr. Annan stressed ``we are going to 
continue our efforts and try to make progress as quickly as we can. If 
by the time of the accession the issues have not been resolved, I 
expect the talks to continue beyond the EU accession''. The EU has made 
it clear for the past three years that a resolution of the Cyprus 
problem is not a precondition for Cyprus' EU accession and I support 
that viewpoint.
  Cyprus and the United States have a great deal in common. We share a 
deep and abiding commitment to democracy, human rights, free markets, 
and the ideal and practice of equal justice under the law.
  In fact, Cyprus was among the first nations to express its solidarity 
with the U.S. immediately following the September 11th terrorist 
attacks. Cyprus has taken many concrete and active steps to target the 
perpetrators, collaborators and financers of terrorism. For example, 
Cyprus has endorsed and implemented all resolutions and decisions of 
the U.N. Security Council, the EU and other International Organizations 
pertaining to the fight against terrorism.
  Unfortunately, Cyprus is not without its own difficult history. 
Thirty seven percent of this nation is still occupied by a hostile 
foreign power, and it has been for more than 25 years.
  On July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus, and to this day continues to 
maintain an estimated 35,000 heavily armed troops. Nearly 200,000 Greek 
Cypriots, who fell victim to a policy of ethnic cleansing, were 
forcibly evicted from their homes and became refugees in their own 
country.
  Every year, on or around July 20, I, along with my dear friend 
Representative Bilirakis, sponsor a Special Order to remember the 
anniversary of the Turkish invasion in a tradition that has become one 
of our proudest traditions.
  Despite the hardships and trauma caused by the ongoing Turkish 
occupation, Cyprus has registered remarkable economic growth, and the 
people living in the Government-controlled areas enjoy one of the 
world's highest standards of living. Sadly, the people living in the 
occupied area continue to be mired in poverty.
  In the times we are facing, it is clear that divisions among people 
create harmful, destructive environments. The U.S. has expressed its 
unwavering support for a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem and I 
wholeheartedly agree. The relationship between Cyprus and the United 
States is strong and enduring. We stand together celebrating democracy 
and freedom, hopeful that a peaceful solution will soon be negotiated 
and a united Cyprus will join the EU.

                          ____________________