Congressional Record -- Extension of Remarks

Monday, August 3, 1987

100th Cong. 1st Sess.

133 Cong Rec E 3211

REFERENCE: Vol. 133 No. 129

TITLE: THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ILLEGAL INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS BY TURKEY

SPEAKER: HON. HELEN DELICH BENTLEY OF MARYLAND IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TEXT:
Text that appears in UPPER CASE identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the House on the floor.

MRS. BENTLEY. MR. SPEAKER, LAST MONTH THE GREEK-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN BALTIMORE REMEMBERED THE 13TH ANNIVERARY OF THE ILLEGAL INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS BY TURKEY. ON FRIDAY, JULY 17, A GROUP OF YOUNG STUDENTS OF GREEK AND CYPRIOT HERITAGE, MANY OF WHOM WERE BORN THERE, GATHERED IN BALTIMORE AT THE GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF THE ANNUNCIATION. THEY WERE MARCHING FROM NEW YORK TO WASHINGTON TO MAKE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AWARE OF THE OUTRAGEOUS TURKISH OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS. I COMMENDED THEM FOR THEIR DILIGENCE IN SEEKING THE FREEDOM OF THEIR HOMELAND.

IN MY DISCUSSION I POINTED OUT THAT AS A FIRST-GENERATION SERBIAN, I UNDERSTOOD THEIR CONCERN AND FRUSTRATION AND DEEP SADNESS OVER THE OCCUPATION OF NORTHERN CYPRUS BY THE TURKS 13 YEARS AGO. MY PARENTS' NATION OF SERBIA WAS CONQUERED BY THE TURKS IN THE 14TH CENTURY; IT WAS LOST IN THE BATTLE OF KOSOVO, AND FOR FIVE CENTURIES BOTH SERBIA AND THEN GREECE WERE UNDER THE DOMINATION OF THE TURKS. THAT LONG OCCUPATION FINALLY ENDED, ONLY TO BE REPEATED BY THE TURKS 13 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY ILLEGALLY SEIZED PART OF CYPRUS.

I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT OVER A QUARTER OF OUR MILITARY ASSISTANCE PACKAGE TO TURKEY IS USED IN ITS DOMINATION OF CYPRUS. MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS WRONG. IT IS IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF U.S. LAW AND MUST BE STOPPED.

TODAY, IRONICALLY, KOSOVO, WHICH IS A VERY SACRED LAND IN YUGOSLAVIA, IS ALSO UNDER SIEGE, THIS TIME BY THE ALBANIANS, WHO ARE PUSHING THE SERBIANS OUT. SO I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE GREEK CYPRIOTS, 200,000 OF WHOM HAVE BEEN FORCED OUT OF THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMELAND.

MR. SPEAKER, I JOIN WITH THE GREEK-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN BALTIMORE IN CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS BY TURKEY. FURTHER, MR. SPEAKER, I SAY IT IS TIME TO FORCE TURKEY TO USE AMERICAN ASSISTANCE FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS INTENDED, NOT THE OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS. LET US RAISE OUR VOICES WITH THE CYPRIOT PEOPLE WHO SEEK FREEDOM FOR THEIR LAND EVEN AS WE JOIN WITH MY PEOPLE, OF SERBIAN HERITAGE, IN SEEKING FREEDOM FOR THE ANCIENT AND SACRED PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. AMERICA NEEDS TO KNOW ABUT THESE TRAGEDIES WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATED.