[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18376]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          CYPRIOT NEGOTIATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JEAN SCHMIDT

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 20, 2009

  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the ongoing 
negotiations between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and 
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. I commend their efforts to 
advance a peaceful resolution to the decades-old conflict in Cyprus, 
and I encourage the Obama administration, and others in the 
international community, to continue to support and facilitate these 
efforts.
  After decades of failed attempts to unite Cyprus, leaders Christofias 
and Talat reopened direct negotiations in September of 2008. They have 
made notable progress. Most recently, the two communities agreed to the 
opening of the Limnitis/Yesilirmak Gate. U.S. Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, described this event as a ``concrete 
contribution to accelerating the efforts of the parties to find a 
solution.''
  Confidence building measures such as the opening of the Limnitis/
Yesilirmak Gate are very important steps in the negotiating process. As 
physical barriers to reunification are removed, so to are the 
psychological divisions between the Cypriot communities.
  Deputy Assistant Secretary Bryza stated that ``We've never been at a 
point like this where the Cypriot people themselves, their leadership, 
have designed the ideas that are on the table, without any outside 
assistance.'' He expressed his confidence that a solution by the end of 
2009 is possible. The international community must stand ready to 
assist both parties as this process moves forward.
  I am encouraged by the application of these confidence building 
measures taken by the Cypriot leaders as a means towards a permanent 
solution. I urge the Obama administration and the international 
community to do all it can to unify the island.

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