Cyprus-Forum.com

[-mikkie2-]

If Syria leaves Lebanon, shouldn't Turkey leave Cyprus?

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What’s so difficult about insisting that Turkey end its illegal occupation of Cyprus before any more American tax dollars find their way into Turkey?
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There is growing international pressure on Syria to end its illegal occupation of Lebanon. Syria has been using Lebanon, once the jewel of the Middle East, as a terrorist base since 1976 when it sent 27,000 troops into Lebanese territory under the guise of establishing order after Lebanon’s bloody civil war.

The Syrians decided to stay and install a series of puppet regimes in Lebanon. The recent assassination of Lebanon’s former prime minister, a staunch opponent of the Syrian occupation, has brought a renewed effort at the United Nations to get Syria to leave Lebanon. Syria still has 14,000 troops stationed in Lebanon.

Just slightly to the west of Lebanon sits the island of Cyprus, a sovereign nation since 1960. It too has endured an occupation by a foreign power. Since 1974, Turkish troops have occupied one-third of the island. (Ironically, many Lebanese fled to Cyprus in the 1970s to escape the violence in their country.)

Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974, under the guise of protecting the Turkish minority on the island from the Greek-Cypriot majority. The invasion followed an unsuccessful coup against the elected government of Cyprus by forces loyal to the military junta that was governing Greece at the time.

Greek-Cypriots put up a valiant effort to protect their homeland from the invading Turks, but it wasn’t much of fight. A few thousand Cypriot National Guard troops using Korean War-era rifles battled 40,000 heavily-armed Turkish troops equipped with tanks, helicopters and the latest American-supplied warplanes.

In a matter of days, Turkish troops drove 200,000 Greek Cypriots — 1 out of every 3 people living on Cyprus at the time — from their homes and businesses in the northern half of the island. A cease-fire was brokered by the United Nations on Aug. 16, 1974, just as Turkish troops was poised to enter the Cypriot capital of Nicosia.

More than 6,000 Greek-Cypriots were killed in the fighting. Another 1,600 people disappeared behind the Turkish lines. Three decades later, there has never been an accounting by Turkey of what happened to some 1,300 men, 116 women and 133 children caught behind the advancing Turkish army. Many are believed to have been killed, but others were probably taken prisoner. There is independent evidence that some of the hostages are still alive in Turkish prisons in the occupied part of the island or on the Turkish mainland.

Imagine being held prisoner by an occupying army for 30 years and your only "crime" is that you weren't fast enough to escape the soldiers who invaded your homeland.

The Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus, as well as the continuing violation of the fundamental human rights of the people of Cyprus, have been condemned by international bodies, including the U.N. General Assembly, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. But Turkey doesn't care.

Fed by billions of dollars in U.S. aid, Turkey thumbs its nose at international law. This is the same Turkey that continues to have one of the worst records of human rights violations in the world. The same Turkey that denied the U.S. use of its bases and air space to launch a northern offensive against Iraq. Imagine how many more Saddam loyalists and insurgents could have been killed or captured in the opening days of the Iraq War had Turkey cooperated with the U.S.

Turkey simply refuses to leave Cyprus. It keeps 30,000 troops on the island to make sure the Greeks never return to their homes. It has ignored dozens of U.N. resolutions calling for unification of the island and a succession of U.S. presidents — Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and now Bush II — always find excuses to look the other way as Turkey occupies a neighboring country.

Why should American taxpayers finance this rogue nation? Unlike Syria, where the U.S. has little leverage, the Turkish economy would collapse without U.S. dollars. What’s so difficult about insisting that Turkey end its illegal occupation of Cyprus before any more American tax dollars find their way into Turkey?

E-mail Tony Phyrillas at [email protected]

Tony Phyrillas
City Editor, The Mercury

[insan]

Is Syria one of the guarantor power of Lebanon?

[-mikkie2-]

No, but Turkey has violated her position as guarantor of the Republic of Cyprus. She has not established constitutional order which is her mandate as a guarantor.

Why can't you accept basic truths Insan? You are simply showing yor true colours.

[Agios Amvrosios]

[insan]

The day you sincerily accept TC community as your "politically equal" state partner, the constitutional order will be restored. Until then turkey will continue maintain her troops in North Cyprus.


IL GIORNO, 14.1.1964 REPORTED BY GIORGIO BOCCO
"In Cyprus the terror continues. Right now we are witnessing the exodus of Turks from villages. Thousands of people are abandoning their homes, lands, herds: Greek terrorism is relentless. This time, the rhetoric of the Hellens and the busts of Plato do not suffice to cover up their barbaric and ferocious behavior. At four o'clock in the afternoon curfew is imposed on the Turkish villages. Threats, shootings, and attempts of arson start as soon as it becomes dark. After the massacre during the past Christmas that spared neither women, nor children, it is difficult to put up any resistance...

[turkcyp]

Turkey should leave island and Turkey will leave island when we find a solution to our little problem on the island....

This has been declared so many times by Turkish officials. If you had voted yes last summer some portion of the Turkish army would be out on their way....

And even before there is a solution I think Turkey shoudl start drawing some of its forces out of Cyprus as a sign of goodwill. We do not need 30k plus army to protect TCs on the island.

Turkey should take the initiative without even waiting for the talks to start and announce it three phase withdrawal plan from the island. 1/3 of the forces should leave in 2005, the other 1/3 of the forces should leave before 2010. The rest 1/3 should be announced to stay on the island till there is an accepted solution on the island.

[magikthrill]

Turkey should leave island and Turkey will leave island when we find a solution to our little problem on the island....

If you had voted yes last summer some portion of the Turkish army would be out on their way....

I think you just proved to us in a succesful manner that the Annan plan was not a solution. I'm glad we agree on one more thing turkcyp