[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16720-16721]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 31ST ANNIVERSARY OF ILLEGAL TURKISH INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the Turkish 
occupation of Cyprus, a shameful occupation that is now entering its 
31st year. Let me begin by thanking the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Bilirakis) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for 
providing an opportunity for discussion on this important topic.
  Mr. Speaker, Turkish troops have been in Cyprus since the occupation 
in 1974, when over the course of a two-stage offensive, Turkish troops 
took control of 38 percent of the island. The number of occupying 
troops now stands at over 30,000 Turkish troops, making Cyprus one of 
the most militarized countries in the world.
  As a Cuban political refugee, the values of liberty and democracy are 
very dear to my heart. I personally empathize with the Greek Cypriot 
community and share their plight to achieve a fair end to the Turkish 
occupation.
  The emergence of a strong, vibrant and justifiably unified Cyprus 
would promote stability both politically and economically to the entire 
Mediterranean region and would provide a strategic ally for the United 
States at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia. As a senior 
member of the House Committee on International Relations and as a 
member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I shared the joy 
with families across Cyprus for their much-deserving union with the 
European Community, as the prominence of Cyprus will be augmented by 
its full integration into the European Union.
  Although all of us wanted to see a fair end to the division of Cyprus 
before its accession to the EU, the Annan Plan for a Cyprus settlement 
was rightfully voted down by the Greek Cypriots by a large majority of 
76 percent. The plan imposed unacceptable conditions, including 
enabling Turkish troops to remain in Cyprus for an indefinite time, 
even after Turkey's eventual accession to the European Union. There can 
be no reunification plan that permits Turkish troops to remain 
stationed on Cypriot soil.
  Likewise, the plan unfairly allowed Turkish Cypriots and mainland 
Turkish settlers to keep Cypriot homes and other properties they seized 
following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and it would not have to 
reimburse the owners of the property. There can be no unification that 
provides for the expropriation of Cypriot property.
  In March of this year, I wrote to President Bush demonstrating that 
the ``no vote'' must not be interpreted at a vote against 
reunification, but rather as a legitimate expression of the real 
concerns that made that particular version of the Annan Plan 
unacceptable to Greek Cypriot voters.
  The United States, Cyprus, and Greece continue to maintain a close 
relationship, and have a great deal in common. Indeed, the democratic 
principles which unite our nations were first planted some 2,500 years 
ago in ancient Greece.

                              {time}  1915

  The very word ``democracy'' is a construct of two Greek words, 
``demos'' and ``kratos'' meaning ``rule by the people,'' and its 
principles were discussed by the Founding Fathers and are evident in 
our own Constitution.
  James Madison, a crafter of this great Nation, wrote the following: 
``Among the confederacies of antiquity, the most considerable was that 
of the Grecian republics.''
  Who are we to argue with James Madison?
  Today, Cyprus, Greece and the United States share a deep and abiding 
commitment to democracy, human rights, free markets and the ideal and 
practice of equal justice under the law.
  As one of our strongest allies in the war against terror, Greece and 
the Republic of Cyprus continue to fight against the latest global 
threats of terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism,

[[Page 16721]]

nuclear proliferation, illegal narcotics and international crime. 
Cyprus has taken many concrete and active steps to target the 
perpetrators, collaborators and financiers of terrorism.
  As a NATO ally, the Greek government has given the United States both 
military and financial support for Operation Enduring Freedom, 
including unrestricted use of its air space and humanitarian assistance 
to Afghanistan.
  Most recently, Greece and the United States successfully collaborated 
during the Summer Olympic Games to guarantee the safety and success of 
these events. In testament to their commitment to human welfare, 
Greece's security budget was $1.2 billion, an amount exceeding all 
prior Olympic games. In recognition of our commonalities, I urge 
Congress to remain engaged in the search for a just and lasting 
reunification of Cyprus that will promote peace and stability in this 
important region.

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