[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16549]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING THE 34TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2008

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 34th 
anniversary of the July 20, 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 
Cyprus. The island has been effectively partitioned since that time, 
and Turkey currently maintains a force of at least 30,000 troops in the 
unilaterally declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This is 
roughly equivalent to the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, where 
we are actively pursuing a war.
  The Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus has had a tremendous impact 
on the lives of the Greek Cypriots. My district includes part of 
Chicago, home to the largest Greek population in the United States, and 
I have spoken to countless people who relay stories of occupation 
including the destruction and desecration of churches, restrictions on 
Greek Cypriots in the Turkish region. Recently Turkey's image was 
further injured after the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey 
guilty of human rights violations on Cyprus.
  I am very encouraged by news reports stating that Greek and Turkish 
Cypriot leaders, both of whom have publicly committed to working toward 
reconciliation, will meet tomorrow to discuss the possibility of 
restarting direct peace talks. I hope that these talks will pave the 
way toward true reconciliation for the people of Cyprus.