Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the distinguished gentlemen from Florida. Mr. BILIRAKIS. for organizing this special order in commemoration of a very sad day in history. I refer to the anniversary of the 22year occupation of the island of Cyprus by Turkey. In 1974. Turkey shocked the world and invaded Cyprus. As a result of this invasion. 200.000 Cypriots have been made refugees and over 1.619 people. including 5 Americans. were missing without explanation until just recently. In March. TurkishCypriot leader Rauf Danktash admitted in a televised interview that those missing since the invasion were slaughtered. Aftei 22 years and numerous attempts to resolve the matter by the United Nations. the United States. and other countries. 37 percent of the island is still illegally occupied by 35.000 Turkish troops and over 80.000 transplanted "colonists" from Turkeyalmost outnumbering the original Turkish Cypriots.
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refugees