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[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 165 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
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.
                                 <all>
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