Joe Biden: “the country of Cyprus has occupied a special place in my heart for many years. My admiration for the island and its…”

“the country of Cyprus has occupied a special place in my heart for many years. My admiration for the island and its people grew in recent months as Cypriots opened their arms to assist the thousands of American citizens who fled from Lebanon during this summer's fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. This exceptional display of Hellenic hospitality has reaffirmed Cyprus's importance as a safe harbor amid the unsettled waters of the eastern Mediterranean and a key partner for the United States. For far too long, however, Cyprus has existed as an island divided. An invasion by Turkey in 1974 needlessly separated the island's ethnically Greek and Turkish citizens--two communities that had successfully coexisted for centuries. A generation has now grown to adulthood on either side of a Green Line that segregates Cypriots from both their peaceful shared history and their promising shared destiny. Mr. President, I believe we must correct this wrong before another generation endures a similar fate.”