III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 331 

Expressing the sense of the Senate 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 of the divide 

by Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots into each other’s communities 

without incident. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Ms. SNOWE) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate 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 of the divide by Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots into each other’s communities 

without incident. 

Whereas it is in the best interests of the United States, Turkey, Cyprus, the European Union, and NATO for Turkey 

to adhere to United Nations resolutions and United 

States and European Union policy and end its military 

occupation of the Republic of Cyprus; 

Whereas 13,000,000 crossings of the divide by Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots into each other’s communities 


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•SRES 331 IS 

without incident qualifies Cyprus’ ethnic community relations to be among the world’s safest, regardless of circumstances; 

Whereas, unlike age-old ethnic frictions in the region, Cyprus 

has historically been an oasis of generally peaceful relations among ethnic communities, as is reflected in many 

Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot emigrants seeking 

each other as neighbors in places like Great Britain; 

Whereas United States interests, regional stability, and relations between United States allies Greece and Turkey will 

improve with an end to the occupation of Cyprus; 

Whereas Turkey’s European Union accession prospects, 

which require approval by each European Union nation, 

will improve if Turkey ends its hostile occupation of Cyprus, a European Union nation; 

Whereas Turkey’s image for religious tolerance will improve 

by removing troops that have allowed, as German Chancellor and European Union President Angela Merkel recently said, ‘‘destruction of churches or other religious 

sites’’ under their control; and 

Whereas overlooking Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus injures 

the moral standing of the United States internationally 

and doesn’t help the image of the United States in Turkey, which recently ranked last in a 47-nation Pew survey for favorable views of the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls on the United States Government to 

3 initiate a new effort to help Turkey understand the 


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•SRES 331 IS 

1 benefits that will accrue to it as a result of ending 

2 its military occupation of Cyprus; 

3 (2) urges the Government of Turkey to imme4 diately begin the withdrawal of its military occupa5 tion forces from the Republic of Cyprus; and 

6 (3) urges the Government of Turkey to com7 plete the withdrawal of its occupation forces in the 

8 near future so that Turkey, Cyprus, the region, and 

9 the United States can begin realizing the benefits of 

10 the end of that occupation. 

Æ 


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