American Hellenic Institute

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AHI Praises Members of Congress for Their Unanimous Support of H.Res. 165
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: CHRYSOULA ECONOMOPOULOS
April 21, 2003 No. 21 (202) 785-8430

AHI Praises Members of Congress for Their Unanimous Support of H.Res. 165

WASHINGTON, DC—On April 10, 2003, the U.S. House of Representatives resoundingly passed House Resolution 165 by a vote of 422-0. The resolution, introduced by Representative Doug Bereuter (R-NE) who is third ranking member in the House International Relations Committee, calls for "a renewed effort to find a peaceful, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem" within the parameters set by the United Nations (U.N.).

The resolution also expresses disappointment that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan' efforts to bring his comprehensive settlement plan to a referendum by the people of Cyprus has been rejected. Also expressed by the House resolution is "very strong regret that Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, rejected the comprehensive settlement offered by the Secretary General and denied the Turkish Cypriot people the opportunity to determine their own future by refusing to offer the settlement proposal to referenda."

The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) congratulates Representative Bereuter for introducing this important initiative, and also applauds the House of Representatives for its continued commitment to achieving a just and lasting resolution of the Cyprus problems along U.N. guidelines. Advocating this position, the Resolution expresses that the House of Representatives "remains committed, despite the recent setback, to giving any assistance necessary for finding a just and durable settlement for the Cyprus problem and urges the maximum effort by the United States Government and others to redouble their efforts to seek a just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem."

Co-sponsors of House Resolution 165 included: Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-NY), Rep. Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ), Rep. Cass Ballenger (R-NC), Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA), Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-MA), Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA).

The full text of House Resolution 165 follows. For additional information, please contact Chrysoula Economopoulos at (202) 785-8430 or chrysoula@ahiworld.org. For general information on AHI, please visit our website at https://www.ahiworld.org.

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The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) and its affiliate organizations, the American Hellenic Institute Public Affairs Committee (AHIPAC), the American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF), and the AHI Business Network, a division of the AHI, are working together under one roof, to provide a joint program for strengthening United States relations with Greece and Cyprus and within the American Hellenic community.


H. RES. 165
Expressing support for a renewed effort to find a peaceful, just, and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 27, 2003
Mr. BEREUTER (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. DREIER, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. LEE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. FILNER, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. SHERMAN, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, and Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations


RESOLUTION

Expressing support for a renewed effort to find a peaceful, just, and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem.

Whereas the United States believed there existed a historic opportunity to bring a peaceful, just, and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem, which would have benefited all people of Cyprus and the wider region;

Whereas a resolution of the Cyprus problem remains consistent with American values of promoting stability, freedom, and democracy in the world;

Whereas a resolution of the Cyprus problem is in the strategic interests of the United States, given the important location of Cyprus at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia;

Whereas the United States strongly supports the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General, and his Special Advisor through his good offices mission, to achieve a comprehensive settlement with respect to Cyprus in full consideration with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and international treaties;

Whereas a just and lasting resolution of the Cyprus problem, in full consideration of United Nations Security Council resolutions and international treaties, will safeguard the security and fundamental rights of all the population of Cyprus;

Whereas the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, on November 11, 2002, submitted a proposal for the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, referred to as the `Basis for an Agreement on a Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus problem', which he revised on December 10, 2002;

Whereas negotiations between the two sides, which had been ongoing, were encouraged to intensify their efforts in order that that full agreement could be reached by February 28, 2003, in conformity with the timetable proposed by the United Nations Secretary General in his proposals;

Whereas United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan again on February 26, 2003, gave the two leaders on Cyprus, and the guarantor powers, the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey, a second revision of his plan in order to accommodate input from both sides;

Whereas the revised plan was the result of exhaustive efforts by the United Nations and would have lead to a peaceful, just and lasting settlement of the longstanding division of Cyprus;

Whereas the Secretary General on February 28, 2003, at the conclusion of a visit to Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus, invited the 2 leaders to meet with him at The Hague on March 10, 2003, the purpose of the meeting being to sign a commitment to submit the plan to approval in separate, simultaneous referenda on March 30, 2003, in order to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, and the guarantor powers were also invited to attend the meeting and to sign the commitment;

Whereas both leaders on Cyprus did attend the meeting at The Hague with the Secretary General but the Secretary General's plan failed when Turkish Cypriot Leader, Denktash, rejected both the comprehensive settlement and the referendum proposal;

Whereas the United States Government expressed its deep disappointment that the Secretary General's efforts to bring his plan for a comprehensive settlement to referenda by the people of Cyprus was rejected; and

Whereas despite this unfortunate setback, the United States remains committed to seeking a just and durable settlement to the Cyprus problem: Now, therefore, be it:
Resolved,
That the House of Representatives—

(1) expresses its appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General to seek a peaceful, just, and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem for the benefit of the people of Cyprus and the region;

(2) expresses its strong disappointment that the Secretary General's efforts to bring his plan for a comprehensive settlement to a referenda by the people of Cyprus has been rejected;

(3) expresses its very strong regret that Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, rejected the comprehensive settlement offered by the Secretary General and denied the Turkish Cypriot people the opportunity to determine their own future by refusing to offer the settlement proposal to referenda;

(4) remains committed, despite the recent setback, to giving any assistance necessary for finding a just and durable settlement for the Cyprus problem and urges the maximum effort by the United States Government and others to redouble their efforts to seek a just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem;

(5) encourages both Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to renew their efforts to find a settlement to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Secretary General's framework for a comprehensive settlement;

(6) urges the Governments of Turkey and Greece to do everything possible to support the search for a settlement, including actions by the Government of Turkey helping to persuade the Turkish Cypriot leader to reach an agreement which would reunite the island and which would serve the interests of both Cypriot communities; and

(7) encourages both sides, upon completion of a comprehensive settlement, to consider putting such an agreement to referenda, if necessary, in order that the will of the people of Cyprus can be democratically expressed.