Continued military occupation will only obstruct the path to a peaceful settlement. In 1978. the Congress voted to give the President the authority to lift the arms embargo against Turkey. The language of this bill specified that Turkey must in turn act "in good faith to achieve a just and peaceful settlement of the Cyprus problem. the early peaceable return of refugees to their homes and properties. and continued removal of Turkish military troops from Cyprus. and the early serious resumption of intercommunal talks aimed at a just negotiated settlement." Today. 4years later. the Turkish military is even more entrenched on the island. no relief has been provided to refugees. and negotiations have not produced a settlement. Against this background the administration is proposing $465 million in military aid to Turkey. In effect. the United States will be contributing to the occupation of Cyprus and supporting the actions of Turkey. It is my strong feeling that we cannot continue to provide aid to a nation that denies independence to another country. Only when Turkey has removed all of its troops from Cyprus and acknowl. edged its obligation to the refugees should we consider providing military aid to Turkey. It is hoped that Turkey will take these necessary steps. Eight years is already too long for Cyprus to be divided.
Keywords matched
refugees