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“REMEMBERING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1196 on July 18, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS
_____
HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Friday, July 18, 2014
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, to recall those who are still missing since the invasion, and to express my support for the ongoing talks on the reunification of Cyprus.
Following the capture of the northern portion of the island, Turkish military forces declared an illegal ``Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'' which is not recognized by any countries except Turkey. The division of the island continues to this day, with disastrous human, social, and economic consequences.
It has also now been 40 years that the relatives of the missing have been unable to learn the fate of their loved ones. As you may know, the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, a bi-communal investigatory committee operating under the auspices of the United Nations since 1981, has been mandated to investigate nearly 2000 cases of missing Cypriots, mostly, but not all, Greek Cypriots.
In 1994, Congress passed a law, which I wrote, directing the State Department to investigate the disappearance of five Americans as a result of the invasion. While there was some progress--the remains of one American, Andrew Kassapis, were located--too many remain unaccounted for. Regrettably, Turkey continues to obstruct the process of determining the fate of the missing. I have, therefore, today sent a letter to Secretary Kerry asking that the United States press Turkey more intensively to allow a complete and full investigation and to, once and for all, provide closure on this deeply painful question.
Still, there is reason for some optimism. On February 11th of this year, a joint declaration between the parties set the framework for a new round of Cyprus unification negotiations. The talks advanced to a second phase in May, and I am hopeful that they could lead to a comprehensive agreement that grants true sovereignty to the Republic of Cyprus and all of the Cypriot people. There have been reciprocal visits of Greek and Turkish negotiators, respectively, to Ankara and Athens and, for now, Turkey seems interested in moving forward. However, for the talks to succeed, the United States must continue to play an active role in keeping Turkey at the table and shepherding a deal to fruition.
And, there is good news on Cypriot-American relations. Cyprus, already a member of the European Union, is working to strengthen its bond with the United States. It is seeking to forge closer economic ties and bolster defense cooperation, even as it straddles an increasingly tense area. As one of the only stable democracies in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is an essential partner for the U.S. and an increasingly close friend of our strongest ally in the region, Israel. The U.S. and Cyprus have worked together on issues from counter-terrorism to the prevention of human trafficking, and, most recently, Cyprus has provided significant support in removing chemical weapons from Syria. Furthermore, there have been recent discoveries of natural gas off the coast of Cyprus, which will bolster the Cypriot economy and possibly become a viable energy source for Europe.
Mr. Speaker, on this 40th anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus, I stand with my friends in the Cypriot American community and in the Republic of Cyprus in remembrance of the conflict that began four decades ago, in memory of those who lost their lives in the war, in continued vigilance over the fate of the missing, and in support of a better future for all Cypriots.
