Press Releases

It is a great honour to be here with you. On behalf of my wife, Nadine, whose mother was born in Nicosia, we are very thrilled to be back here with all of you. It is wonderful to be in the one and only capital of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicosia. And I want to recognize your distinguished President, President Christodoulides, whom we just had a very good meeting with, the President of your parliament as well, the distinguished Ministers and the First Lady, as well as our very distinguished ambassador. We've sent you one of the best we have in the Foreign Service, Ambassador Fisher.

And I want to salute the wider Cypriot Diaspora community, in particular all my friends and supporters from New Jersey who just got up, which saved me from having to individually recognize them all. So thank you, Philip. But we are fortunate to say that we have that many friends that are too numerous to mention, but I am thrilled that they are all here. Thank you for inviting me to speak here today at the World Conference of Cypriot Diaspora.

As someone who has traveled many times to Cyprus over the course of 30 years, I have always marveled at the beautiful history and success of the Cypriot Republic. From the capital city of Nicosia to the vibrant Limassol to historic Pafos, from the beautiful majestic mountains of Troodos to the majestic Kykkos Monastery, to the wonderful families that I met at Kouklia Village, a refugee village, it is a remarkable country.

However, it has been 49 years since sirens sounded on Cyprus, alerting the country to attacking Turkish aircraft and heavily armed Turkish forces storming the beaches. And while that was almost half a century, I know that there are people in this room who still remember it as if it was yesterday. As the Chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I believe our country has an important role to play supporting Cyprus in its struggle for justice, reunification, peace and security. That unjustified and subsequent occupation and invasion that has taken place violently uprooted the lives of so many who are here today, an invasion that forever changed the island and this nation.

An invasion that Turkey not only refuses to acknowledge was illegal and unjust, despite condemnation of Europe, the United Nations and the entire international community. And yet, just last week, Turkish forces attacked UN peacekeepers in Pyla, in the buffer zone. They were trying to build a road they have no right to build in the agreed upon buffer zone where they had no right to be, and their attack put United Nations personnel in the hospital. So let's call it for what it is: a totally unacceptable violation of international law.

But did President Erdogan do anything to prevent it? No, absolutely nothing. Which is hardly a surprise, considering that earlier this year Erdogan won re-election in Turkey by stacking the deck in his favour, using the resources of the state on his own behalf, shutting out independent media, jailing opposition leaders and journalists. These are not the actions of a candidate competing for votes in a Democratic election. These are the actions of an autocrat. And for those of us who care deeply about the security and integrity of the Eastern Mediterranean, this is especially concerning. He has labelled Cypriots and freedom loving people around the world as enemies. He has collaborated with the world's most brutal dictators from Xi Jinping in China to Putin in Russia, to Raisi in Iran. He is constantly testing the limits of fundamental international norms and standards, flagrantly violating some with his ongoing occupation of another sovereign nation. His proposal to resettle Varosha was nothing more than a thinly veiled power grab, a power grab that is in direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions, a power grab that the United States and the European Union strongly condemn. And we will continue to condemn this kind of antagonism, whether in Varosha or Pyla or anywhere else. Now, I don't care how much of a challenge it is, but the United Nations Security Council should immediately pass a resolution condemning this most recent attack on Cypriot territory. I also urge the UN Secretary General to appoint a special envoy to help reinvigorate negotiations to find a long-term settlement. Because to this day, 40,000 Turkish troops still illegally occupy 36% of the Republic of Cyprus, making it one of the most militarized places in the world.

That's why I take the threat of Turkish annexation of the occupied area very seriously. We have to remain vigilant because Erdogan can change his mind at any moment, especially when it comes to his aggression against Cyprus. His willingness to flex his authoritarian muscles means it is more important than ever that the United States stand shoulder to shoulder with the Republic of Cyprus. I am proud to have been one of the strongest advocates for strong U.S. - Cypriot relations in the Senate and before that in the House of Representatives. In 2019, I offered the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership. In 2021, I offered the Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Act, which built on the inter diplomatic format of Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States to the creation of a three plus one inter-parliamentary group. I am pleased that the group met this year for the first time and it has set a robust agenda, including energy, security, maritime security, economic growth. A format that I would like to see expanded to research and development, as well as a blue economy as it relates to ocean health.

I also believe that our collective military capabilities with Greece and Cyprus are vital in the security of the eastern Mediterranean. This year, the Cypriot and American militaries conducted a series of joint military exercises across the island as part of Operation Silver Falcon 23. I am also incredibly proud that we were finally able to lift restrictions of sales of American made weapons to Cyprus on a yearly basis. And just last week, the State Department approved weapons exports to Cyprus for another year. And I am pushing to either end or extend the timeline to be even longer so that Cyprus has the long range planning abilities it has for its domestic defense. These are critically important steps that will deepen our relationship. Right now, our nations find ourselves at a historic point in U.S.- Cypriot relations. Our relationship has never been better. But does anyone here think we couldn't do more? Does anyone here think we can take our relationship even further? I know I do. I believe there is room for even more growth.

Today, in this hallowed place, I am inspired, inspired by the leaders in this room, inspired by your commitment to that growth. And I commit to stand shoulder to shoulder with you as we take that relationship to the next level. I think we have to keep pushing to have Cyprus be part of the visa waiver program, and I would urge Cypriots to apply so that we can get to the point that we can actually qualify for the visa waiver program. I think we have to keep enhancing our military to military cooperation, as well as our intelligence sharing, which has been extraordinary. Cyprus's geostrategic position and location is an invaluable asset to our collective security. I would like to see our deeper cooperation in the energy sector where Cyprus has so much to offer. And I think we need our governments engaging at the highest levels to lay out a vision for the future that matches the ambition and promise of our two great peoples. I call on President Biden to draw upon his deep experience and knowledge and affection for the Cypriot people when he was a Senator and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to make the successful resolution of the Cyprus question one of his top foreign policy priorities in his administration. We must move away from simply condemnation to action. As a senior Senator from New Jersey, I see the promise of Cypriots back in my home state every day. Because New Jersey has one of the most vibrant and strongest Cypriot communities in our nation. So as proud as I am of our accomplishments on the global stage, I am just as proud of the work I do back at home on behalf of the Cypriot community. From increasing economic opportunity to improving public safety, to affordable health care, to fighting to make sure everyone has access to a good education. Whether you are born on Cyprus or back in New Jersey, one thing is for sure: nothing is more important than a good education.

As many of you know, I am the child of Cuban refugees whose family fled the violence of a Cuban dictatorship for a better life in the United States. It's part of my understanding of the challenges that Cypriots have. It was my mother who impressed me with a love of learning. Every night after work in the factory all day, she would ask me to read my homework to her and I would ask her, “but mum you don't understand English.” And she would say to me, “that's what you think. Sit here and read your homework to me.” And it was because of that importance that she gave to education, it was because she understood that as refugees in a new country, our ticket to a better life would come through education.

Part of what makes the Cypriot Diaspora community and the Cuban-American community so powerful is their commitment to education. The scholarships that you have provided for young people in the United States and for those who still live here in Cyprus, these are the critical part of keeping young people engaged and in touch with the traditions of the past, because we must always remember the bravery of Cypriot Americans who have spoken out against discrimination and fought for justice and civil rights. We must always remember the commitment of those who served with honour in the American armed forces defending the cause of freedom. I am reminded what Pericles once said. “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” I thank you for the incredible work you do that weaves hope and promise into the lives of others.

Furthering the friendship between Cyprus and the United States, keeping your traditions and heritage alive, helping to spread Hellenic values across the globe, you make our world a better place. Aristotle said “when states are democratically governed according to the law, there are no demagogues and the best citizens are securely in the saddle.” I look at you all here and I see these best citizens. I see Cypriot and American citizens who are committed to living in a world governed by the rule of law. And I appreciate President Christodoulides’ position on behalf of the people of Cyprus as to upholding the proposition that you cannot, by force, take another country's territory. Mr. President, thank you very much for the position that you've taken. A world where people have the safety and the security they need to raise their families and make a better life for themselves, free from the fear that everything could be ripped away from them by a demagogue. So today, let's ignite together what is best in the Hellenic history and tradition against the forces of repression and autocracy. Let us remember the sacrifices of those who suffered in the Turkish invasion so many years ago. From the shores of Cyprus to the islands of Greece, from the International Criminal Court to the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly, from the capitals of Europe to Washington DC, let us recommit to defending human rights, to keep fighting for democracy, to stand up for the rule of law that protects all of us from tyranny, and to that day, when the last boot of the last Turkish soldier leaves Cyprus, leaving Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to design a destiny for themselves of peace and security and prosperity. If we do that, we will unlock this region's tremendous potential into the 21st century and beyond. Thank you very much.

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