Gus Bilirakis: “Mr. Speaker, while chairing hearings of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1992, I had the opportunity to hear…”

“Mr. Speaker, while chairing hearings of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1992, I had the opportunity to hear first-hand the heart-wrenching stories of people who had relatives abducted during and after the illegal Turkish invasion. Throughout these hearings, a common theme emerged: The families want concrete answers regarding the fates of their loved ones. Mr. Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, made a recent statement referred to by the gentleman from Pennsylvania on a Greek Cypriot television station that the missing in Cyprus were turned over to the Turkish militia and killed. While shocked by this statement I question it, given the fact that there is much evidence to the contrary. We must know conclusively what happened to the five Americans and the 1,614 Greek Cypriots that have been missing since 1974. I have sent a letter to President Clinton urging him to do everything possible to determine once and for all the fate of the missing in Cyprus. In addition to the missing, I also have serious concerns about the enclaved people in Cyprus.”