Washington: Greek-American Congresswoman from Nevada, Dina Titus, has called on President-elect Trump to prioritize Cyprus’ reunification as a critical foreign policy issue. In a statement to the Cyprus News Agency, Titus emphasized the urgency of addressing the long-standing division of the island.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Titus highlighted a bipartisan resolution she introduced in the House of Representatives with Representatives Nicole Malliotakis, Chris Pappas, and Gus Bilirakis. The resolution aims to draw attention to the Cyprus issue as Trump prepares to return to the White House. Titus expressed her strong support for the resolution, which condemns Turkey’s ongoing occupation of Cyprus with a military presence of 35,000 troops.
Titus stated that Turkey must withdraw its troops and adhere to NATO principles, including respect for territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the rule of law. She also urged Turkey to remove over 200,000 settlers from the occupied northern territories of Cyprus and facilitate the return of Greek-Cypriot refugees to their ancestral homes.
The Congresswoman underscored the ongoing challenges in Cyprus, including missing Greek-Cypriots, desecrated religious artifacts, and the island’s unsustainable political situation. She strongly urged President-elect Trump to prioritize reunification efforts as a top foreign policy agenda.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Various rounds of United Nations-led peace talks have yet to produce a lasting solution, with the most recent negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ending without resolution.