[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11838]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 STATEMENT ON THE 37TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ILLEGAL TURKISH INVASION OF 
                                 CYPRUS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 22, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, this week, once again, we commemorate the 
tragic anniversary of the 1974 illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus. 
Thirty-seven years later, Turkey continues forcibly to occupy more than 
one-third of Cyprus with more than 43,000 troops. This amounts to 
almost one Turkish soldier for every two Turkish Cypriots. It is time 
for Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus so that the island can 
move forward as one nation.
  As co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, I 
have worked diligently with my colleagues in the Caucus out of our 
mutual concern for the continued division and occupation of Cyprus. We 
have 137 members today, making us one of the largest caucuses in 
Congress.
  My Caucus co-chair, Rep. Bilirakis, and I passed a resolution in the 
House in the last Congress calling for the protection of religious 
sites and artifacts from and in Turkish-occupied areas of northern 
Cyprus as well as for general respect for religious freedom. And we 
continue to work, with the Caucus, to raise awareness of the Cyprus 
problem and the role the U.S. can play to support the negotiations.
  Cyprus is playing a vital role in European affairs while also 
strengthening relations with the United States. It has joined with us 
on issues important to our own security, including the fight against 
terrorism and other international crimes. Ending the island's tragic 
division will pave the way to prosperity and peace throughout the 
entire region.
  To date, Turkey has repeatedly ignored all U.N. Resolutions 
pertaining to Cyprus and has continued to occupy the island in complete 
violation of international law. Turkey has continued to do so despite 
the fact that it has been a member of the U.N. Security Council since 
January 2009. Turkey has also refused to abide by the Judgments of the 
European Court of Human Rights in numerous cases, thereby continuing to 
violate the basic human rights of the Cypriot people. This is an 
outrage.
  The current negotiations aim at reaching a comprehensive settlement 
of the Cyprus problem based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with 
political equality, as defined in the relevant U.N. Security Council 
resolutions, with a single sovereignty, single citizenship and single 
international personality. The solution must reunite the island, its 
people, its institutions and its economy and safeguard the human rights 
and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots and the withdrawal of Turkish 
occupation forces from Cyprus.
  The United States and the international community must continue to 
provide support to this process. The people of Cyprus deserve a unified 
and democratic country, and I remain hopeful that a peaceful settlement 
will be found so that the division of Cyprus will come to an end.
  As Secretary Clinton remarked last year: ``The reunification of the 
island is in the best interests of not only the people of Cyprus, but 
the region, and it could set an example for the international community 
as well.''

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