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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, gave the following speech last night on the House floor in celebration of the 185th Anniversary of Greek Independence.
"Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join with several of my colleagues this evening in celebrating the 185th anniversary of Greek Independence from the Ottoman Empire. Americans and Greeks have grown ever closer, bound by ties of strategic and military alliance, common values of democracy, individual freedom, human rights and close personal friendship.
"Mr. Speaker, while we celebrate Greek Independence this evening, it's also important we recognize that Greeks continue to battle oppression from present day Turkey in Cyprus. It is critical that our nation work with the United Nations and with the government of Cyprus to once again unify the island, however, I am deeply concerned that our government's recent actions will actually make it more difficult to reunify Cyprus.
"The U.S. State Department and Secretary Rice seem much more interested in rewarding those who illegally occupied the northern third of the nation back in 1974 than actually reunifying the island.
"Over the past year, our State Department decided to allow Americans to fly into the occupied north, something that has not been permitted since the illegal occupation took place back in 1974. Last year, I joined many of my colleagues from the Congressional Hellenic Caucus in sending a letter expressing our deep concern regarding the legality of U.S. citizens flying directly from Turkey to the airport at Tymbou in Northern Cyprus.
"In response to that letter, the State Department responded that it was encouraging the elimination of unnecessary restrictions and barriers that isolate and impede the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community.
"This new policy must also be responsible for a decision earlier this year by the State Department to resume trade with the occupied north through ports that were declared closed after the invasion in 1974. In order to allow trade, the State Department is forced to ignore both Cyprus' domestic law as well as international law that prohibit entering Cyprus through an illegal port in the north.
"Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned that the State Department's new policy towards the government and the people of the occupied north will only delay reunification of the entire island. If the U.S. allows direct trade through routes in the north what incentive do the illegal occupiers of northern land have to make any concessions to its rightful inhabitants?
"It is as if the State Department has completely forgotten who is responsible for the division of Cyprus in the first place. I have repeatedly encouraged Secretary Rice to take a historic look at the Cyprus problem over the past 30 years. It's important to look at this problem not only through the lens of the Annan vote in 2004, but also from the perspective of three decades of illegal actions on the Turkish side.
"Mr. Speaker, I pledge tonight to continue to speak out against a State Department that seems more comfortable punishing the victims of the Cyprus problem while rewarding the occupiers. I am hopeful that one day soon, like Greece the island of Cyprus will be unified and free. Tonight, I also applaud the determination Greek's showed 185 years ago to overcome the Ottoman Empire, and restore democracy in the place of its birth."
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