Speech #980077035

We must continue attempts to renew these intercommunal talks. for it is only through continued dialog that we can even come close to a solution. However. as long as the Turkish Government remains unyielding in its intention to continue occupying the northern half of the island and as long as the Turkish Government continues to retain control of an area that accounts for 70 percent of the Cypriot gross national product. it is not reasonable to expect the Greek Cypriots to be as willing to compromise. The invasion that caused 170.000 people to flee from their homes. abandoning businesses. schools. and churches. and become refugees. resulted not only in numerous casualties on both sides but also in the disappearance on nearly 2.000 men. women. and children since 1974. Attempts by relatives to locate the missing have met brick walls. The Turkish Government has been singularly uncooperative in any attempt to locate these missing persons. despite pressure from human rights and international organizations such as Amnesty International. Even though an agreement was reached in 1982 by the United Nations to establish a committee specifically charged with investigating these cases and determining the whereabouts of those missing since 1974. the committee has yet to be formed. The cooperation of all parties is absolutely necessary in creating such a committee and in acting to end the misery that the families of those missing have unfairly undergone. By and large. the Greek Cypriot refugees have been able to begin new lives in the south. living in public housing and receiving support from the Greek Cypriot government. I commend the Greek Cypriot people for their resiliency and their efforts. But our mission to seek a solution becomes no less pressing and we must continue to do all that is in our power to repair this tremendous injustice.