Cyprus-Forum.com

[RAFAELLA]

Policymakers Begin Returning Focus to an End of Turkey's Occupation of Cyprus
Monday, December 24 @ 10:53:35 EST by greek_news

Washington, D.C.- For the first time in nearly a decade, the U.S. Congress has singled out the removal of Turkish troops from Cyprus as a priority issue. This was done by the unusually high number of 60 Members of Congress asking to be listed as a cosponsor, or advocate, of Cyprus resolution H. Res 620, introduced by Congressmen Albio Sires (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL). And, the number of advocates of this bill that urges the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus will grow significantly.

Fewer than 7% of all House resolutions reach 60 cosponsors. And, such significant support for foreign issues is usually reserved for major American issues like Iraq, Israel, China and Darfur.
Strong Congressional support has been a prerequisite to securing unobjectionable American policy toward Cyprus. It enabled us to play a key role in America changing the positions of France and Germany so that Cyprus could accede early to the EU. It also contributed to accession without the requirement of a settlement of Cyprus, which would have enabled Rauf Denktash to veto accession. As a result, Cyprus' bargaining position today is dramatically better. As well, strong Congressional support enabled us to work with key Appropriations Committee members to reduce from $1 billion to zero U.S aid to Turkey, because of their intransigence on Cyprus.

Today's level of 60 cosponsors, although record-setting in recent years, will grow significantly as we rebuild our Congressional base. As Congressional support builds, American policy toward Cyprus becomes less negative and can even become positive, as was the case with EU accession.

http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modules. ... e&sid=7851

Gus Bilirakis Albio Sires

[dinos]

For those that have the time to read, here's the text of the res.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtex ... =hr110-620

Actually, it's a quick read although I'll be surprised if it bears any fruit. Either way, the summary follows:

"Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Turkey should end its military occupation of the Republic of Cyprus, particularly because Turkey's pretext has been refuted by over 13,000,000 crossings by Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots into each other's communities without incident."

[paliometoxo]

and then turkey will ignore it as always or make demands to lift isolations first... it will rain money before turkey removes its troops :/ dystixos

[phoenix]

...... strong Congressional support enabled us to work with key Appropriations Committee members to reduce from $1 billion to zero U.S aid to Turkey, because of their intransigence on Cyprus.

It looks like a double blow for Turkey. . . . . Removal of their troops from Cyprus and loss of their handouts from the USA.

[souroul]

wait... what?

[irresistible]

...... strong Congressional support enabled us to work with key Appropriations Committee members to reduce from $1 billion to zero U.S aid to Turkey, because of their intransigence on Cyprus.

It looks like a double blow for Turkey. . . . . Removal of their troops from Cyprus and loss of their handouts from the USA.

i doubt it.

us needs turkey's support in its invasion in the middle east. us doesn't want to loose it's key ally in the region. therefore, they will try to play their cards very carefully. this has proven to be true for the armenian genocide resolution.

[humanist]

something like this coming out of the US it may as well be coming out of the arse of an elephant. Its all talk no action. If they get Turkish troops out of Cyprus they ill have to get the troops out of Iraq. Fat chance

[Pyrpolizer]

...... strong Congressional support enabled us to work with key Appropriations Committee members to reduce from $1 billion to zero U.S aid to Turkey, because of their intransigence on Cyprus.

It looks like a double blow for Turkey. . . . . Removal of their troops from Cyprus and loss of their handouts from the USA.

i doubt it.

us needs turkey's support in its invasion in the middle east. us doesn't want to loose it's key ally in the region. therefore, they will try to play their cards very carefully. this has proven to be true for the armenian genocide resolution.

The truth is there is absolutely no evidence Turkey is even needed by the Americans to be their "ally". What sort of an ally is she anyway, against who is she an ally? Against the Russians?? But she is already flirting with the Russians as we speak! The Americans only needed her just once (in the Iraqi war) and even in that case she refused to deliver.

Just wait until the Americans realize all this "ally" story is just bullshit.
True they have some airbases in Turkey. Has anyone ever checked how many airbases the Americans have in Afganistan and Iraq already? Have you compared their number to what they have in Turkey?

Imo as soon as the Americans stabilize their presence in Iraq and Afganistan Turkey's "ally role" will just become history....

Perhaps the above voting in the US Congress is just the prelude of what will follow. Patience....

[Kikapu]

...... strong Congressional support enabled us to work with key Appropriations Committee members to reduce from $1 billion to zero U.S aid to Turkey, because of their intransigence on Cyprus.

It looks like a double blow for Turkey. . . . . Removal of their troops from Cyprus and loss of their handouts from the USA.

i doubt it.

us needs turkey's support in its invasion in the middle east. us doesn't want to loose it's key ally in the region. therefore, they will try to play their cards very carefully. this has proven to be true for the armenian genocide resolution.

The truth is there is absolutely no evidence Turkey is even needed by the Americans to be their "ally". What sort of an ally is she anyway, against who is she an ally? Against the Russians?? But she is already flirting with the Russians as we speak! The Americans only needed her just once (in the Iraqi war) and even in that case she refused to deliver.

Just wait until the Americans realize all this "ally" story is just bullshit.
True they have some airbases in Turkey. Has anyone ever checked how many airbases the Americans have in Afganistan and Iraq already? Have you compared their number to what they have in Turkey?

Imo as soon as the Americans stabilize their presence in Iraq and Afganistan Turkey's "ally role" will just become history....

Perhaps the above voting in the US Congress is just the prelude of what will follow. Patience....

Welcome back Pyro, you have been missed.!!

Has anyone ever checked how many airbases the Americans have in Afganistan and Iraq already?

Totally agree with you with your post. The US now has 4 MEGA size Military Bases in Iraq that they occupy. Those bases worth a great deal more than the one in Turkey. The Kurds are also an ally with the US. One always needs to be careful if you make friends with the US. Once your usefulness has been reached, you are pushed aside like an "old shoe". Remember the phrase my old girlfriend used, "if you can't fuck a friend, who can you fuck". Remember when Saddam was given the "Green Light" by the US Ambassador to attack Kuwait back in 1991, then we hit him with everything we had. Now the US is giving the "Green Light" to Turkey to attack positions in Northern Iraq against the PKK. I let the readers decide on the similarities.

[boomerang]

I watched a doco when Rumsfeld first met Saddam...and he said...today I made a new friend...ain't life a bitch