President. today is an unfortunate one for It marks the 16th anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus by Turkish troops. and nearly two decades of suffering and anguish for the original citizens of Cyprus. Today 35.000 Turkish troops and 82.000 Anatolian settlers illegally occupy almost 40 percent of Cyprus. preventing more than 80 percent of the ethnic Greek residents of the island from returning to their ancestral homes on the eastern side of the island. This cruel isolation and division have created nearly 200.000 Cypriot refugees in their own land. forcing them to leave behind land. homes. and personal property worth millions. In addition. the Turks have tried to completely rid their occupied areas of all items of GreekCypriot cultural and religious heritage. including the desecration of ancient Greek Orthodox Churches. Currently. the United States provides Turkey with half a billion dollars annually in foreign assistance.
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refugees