ACTION ALERT

BACKGROUND:

On Wednesday, November 9, 2005 at 2:30 p.m., the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the newly nominated U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, Ronald L. Schlicher.

We urge you to immediately contact the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and ask them to submit questions to Mr. Schlicher that are consistent with the rule of law and for the promotion of U.S. interests in the region.

Attached to this Action Alert are a number of questions for your consideration.

The names and contact info for the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee follows:

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Majority (Republican)

1. Richard G. Lugar (R-IN)–Chair
Tel: 202-224-4814
Fax: 202-224-0360
Email: senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov

2. Chuck Hagel (R-IN)
Tel: 202-224-4224
Fax: 202-224-5213
Email: chuck_hagel@hagel.senate.gov

3. Lincoln D. Chafee (R-RI)
Tel: 202-224- 2921
Fax: 202-224-2853
Email:

4. George F. Allen (R-VA)
Tel: 202-224-2023
Fax: 202-224-6295
Email:

5. Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Tel: 202-224-5641
Fax: 202-224-1152
Email: opinion@coleman.senate.gov

6. George V. Voinovich (R-OH)
Tel: 202-2243353
Fax: 202-228-1382
Email: senator_voinovich@voinovich.senate.gov

7. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Tel: 202-224-4944
Fax: 202-228-3398
Email:

8. John E. Sununu (R-NH)
Tel: 202-224-2841
Fax: 202-228-4131
Email:

9. Lisa A. Murkowski (R-AK)
Tel: 202-224-6665
Fax: 202-224-5301
Email:

10. Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Tel: 202-224-3041
Fax: 202-228-5171
Email: mel_martinez@martinez.senate.gov

Minority (Democrat)

1. Joseph R. Biden (D-DE)–Ranking member
Tel: 202-224-5042
Fax: 202-224-0139
Email: senator@biden.sentae.gov

2. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD)
Tel: 202-224-4524
Fax: 202-224-1651
Email: senator@sarbanes.senate.gov

3. Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)
Tel: 202-224-2823
Fax: 202-228-1683
Email:

4. John F. Kerry (D-MA)
Tel: 202-224-2742
Fax: 202-224-8523
Email:

5. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Tel: 202-224-5323
Fax: 202-224-1280
Email:

6. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Tel: 202-224-3553
Fax: 202-228-2382
Email:

7. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Tel: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183
Email:

8. Barack Obama (D-IL)
Tel: 202-224-2854
Fax: 202-228-5417
Email: barrack_obama@obama.senate.gov

Committee Staff for Senate Foreign Relations Committee

1. Kenneth A. Myers, Jr. (Majority-Republican)
Staff Director
Tel: 202-224-4651
Fax: 202-224-0836

2. Anthony J. Blinken (Minority-Democrat)
Staff Director
Tel: 202-224-3953
Fax: 202-228-3612

ACTION REQUESTED—CALL, FAX, or E-MAIL:

2. Do you support the immediate withdrawal of all Turkish military forces?

3. Do you support the immediate withdrawal of the 120,000 illegal Turkish settlers and colonists from Cyprus who are in violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949?

4. Do you support the immediate tearing down of the Turkish barbed wire fence across the face of Cyprus?

5. Do you agree that the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots is caused by the 40,000 Turkish military forces occupying 37.3 percent of Cyprus, the 120,000 illegal Turkish settlers from Anatolia in violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Turkish barbed wire fence across the face of Cyprus?

6. 76 percent of the Greek Cypriots voted against the Annan Plan in April 2004. Are you aware that the Annan Plan provided for the 18 percent Turkish Cypriots to have veto rights over the 80 percent of Greek Cypriot majority on all legislative and executive decisions?

7. Are you aware that the veto provisions in the Annan Plan are contrary to the Bush administration’s “democracy initiative” for the Middle East and elsewhere?

8. Do you support a settlement based on majority rule, the rule of law, and protection of minority rights?

9. Are you aware that the Annan Plan provided for the Greek Cypriots to compensate themselves for the loss of the use of their property and destruction caused by the Turkish military?

10. Are you aware that the Annan Plan rewards the aggressor, Turkey, and punishes the Greek Cypriots, the victims?

11. Are you aware that Gustave Feissel, who served as U.N. representative in Cyprus for 14 years said last week in Cyprus that the Annan Plan should be scraped and that “it has left such a bad taste in people’s mouths that trying to fix it would be nearly impossible.” (Washington Times articles by Andrew Borowiec, Nov 7, 2005, page A13, col.1.)

12. Are you aware that the Annan Plan removes the right of Greek Cypriots to go to court to seek damages from Turkey for the loss of use of their property?

13. Are you aware that the Annan Plan would prevent the right of American owners of property in Occupied Cyprus to go to court?

14. Turkey recently was admitted to begin negotiations to get into the EU. However, Turkey continues to refuse to recognize Cyprus, an EU country. Do you think that Turkey should be required to recognize the Republic of Cyprus before proceeding further with negotiations?

15. What is the U.S. plan for a unified Cyprus?

16. The American Owned Property in Occupied Cyprus Claims Act (H.R. 857) in part authorizes the President to cause a claims program to be opened under which the claims Of U.S. nationals who Turkey has excluded from their property in occupied Cyprus can be adjudicated by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission (referred to as FCSC) and compensated through government to government negotiations between the United States and Turkey. Do you support such a claims program?

17. Do you believe that Americans who have been excluded from their property in occupied Cyprus are entitled to compensation from Turkey?

18. Do you believe that the TRNC should be able to use and exploit property in occupied Cyprus owned by persons who Turkey has excluded from that property to benefit the economy of the TRNC?

AHI News Flash:

01-21-09 AHI Executive Director Interview with the Greek News

Letters to the Editor:

08-07-09 AHI Letter to the Editor of the Washington Post

08-06-08 The Washington Times Prints AHI Letter Regarding Cyprus