Steve Rothman: “I rise today to honor the Greek-Cypriot people and express my support for the unified Cyprus. For too long…”

“I rise today to honor the Greek-Cypriot people and express my support for the unified Cyprus. For too long, Greek-Cypriots have been living in a divided nation. It is my firm belief that the time has come for a reversal of the unlawful territorial gains made by Turkish forces in 1974, and for a unified Cyprus to once again assume its rightful place among nations. I am optimistic that a unified Cyprus will begin to emerge in the coming months, especially given the Clinton administration's new commitment to this troubled part of the world. I believe the appointment of Mr. Richard Holbrooke as our Nation's special envoy for Cyprus marks the beginning of this long-awaited transformation. Greek-Cypriots have always been the majority in Cyprus. Unfortunately, the tragic events of July 20, 1974 created a divided Cyprus. When Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, Turkish-Cypriots aggressively sought to dominate the newly independent state of Cyprus. While Cyprus' 1960 constitution provided for power-sharing between the Greek and Turkish-Cypriot communities, the Turkish-Cypriot community, which constituted 18% of the island's population, gained veto powers over legislation and became entitled to a disproportionate share of governmental posts. Mr. Speaker, on July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus and declared victory by securing 37% of the island's territory.”