Republic of Cyprus –  65th Anniversary of Independence

Dear Friends,

 

The Republic of Cyprus, a member of the United Nations and the European Union and a strategic ally of the United States is celebrating the 65^th anniversary of its independence while 37% of its territory is under occupation by Turkish troops.

  

On July 20, 1974 on the pretext of protecting the 18% Turkish minority, Turkey a member of NATO, utilizing American made arms in violation of American law, unleashed a brutal invasion killing 5,000 innocent Cypriot citizens (including five American citizens) and forcibly removed 200,000 Greek Cypriots in the Northern area from their ancestral homes.

  

Since 1974, Turkey methodically changed the demographics by importing 500,000 settlers and destroying 500 historic Greek Orthodox churches, destroyed the culture and history of Cyprus and established a puppet state (TRNC) recognized only by Turkey.

  

While the USA, Europe and NATO condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they have forgotten and ignored the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkey.  We call on President Trump to remind our ally, Turkey, that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.”

   

Turkey must remove its troops from the Republic of Cyprus, remove all illegal settlers and allow all refugees to return to their ancestral homes.

   

Philip Christopher

President