{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-1998-12-18-pt1-PgE2347-4", "1998-12-18", 105, 2, null, null, "RUSSIA IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN CYPRUS", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "ALLOTHER", "E2347", "E2348", "[{\"name\": \"Ed Whitfield\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "144 Cong. Rec. E2347", "Congressional Record, Volume 144 Issue 154 (Friday, December 18, 1998)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 154 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Pages E2347-E2348]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n               RUSSIA IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN CYPRUS\n\n                                 ______\n\n                           HON. ED WHITFIELD\n\n                              of kentucky\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                       Friday, December 18, 1998\n\n  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, the tensions in Cyprus continue, despite\na new round of American diplomatic efforts and shuttle diplomacy by the\nUnited Nations envoy. In my view, our government should focus its\nattention on a significant part of the problem: Russia.\n  As it has since May, Russia refuses to halt its planned sale of S-300\nmissiles to the Greek Cypriots, despite resounding protests\n\n[[Page E2348]]\n\nand criticism from our government and the United Kingdom, Germany, and\nthe United Nations. The world realizes that introducing sophisticated\nantiaircraft missiles and powerful air surveillance radar into the\nfragile Cyprus peace would dangerously raise tensions between Greek and\nTurkish Cypriots, and between Greece and Turkey.\n  Even though Russia is a permanent member of the United Nations\nSecurity Council, it seemingly flouts numerous Security Council\nresolutions and United Nations efforts to defuse the tensions in\nCyprus. Indeed, just last Friday the U.N. Security General cited the S-\n300 sales in his report to the Security Council recommending renewal of\nthe U.N. peacekeeping force in Cyprus.\n  Even Greece argued for an alternative; place the S-300s on the Greek\nisland of Crete instead of Cyprus. Although not an optimal solution,\nthis alternative at least would have kept the missiles out of the\nimmediate crisis zone.\n  United States Ambassador Kenneth Brill endorsed such an idea, stating\nin the press that the United States would like to see the missiles\ndeployed anywhere but Cyprus.\n  President Clerides of the Republic of Cyprus rejected the Greek plan.\nIn press statements, he tried to downplay the missile crisis, calling\nit but one issue of many regarding security. This is quite an\nunderstatement, as the missiles could destroy aircraft flying in\nsouthern Turkey and the radar equipment reportedly could reach as far\nas Israel. The introduction of these missiles creates a real risk of\nwider conflict in the eastern Mediterranean.\n  More disappointing was Russia's reaction to the proposal. The Russian\nreaction was more defensive, more ominous--and insulting. Russia\ncondemned Mr. Brill's statement as ``unfriendly'', and formally rebuked\nour diplomats in Moscow for interfering in what Russia labels an\nexclusively commercial and bilateral deal. The Russian Ambassador to\nCyprus responded by saying that Russia is ``nobody's colony.''\n  The Russians appear to have mistaken diplomacy for interference, and\narms sales for acts of sovereignty. International prestige comes from\nsettling crises, not provoking them. With power comes responsibility.\nThe best way for Russia to show it remains important on the world stage\nis to act responsibly, to work for a solution to the military tension\non Cyprus rather than inflame it for financial gain.\n  It is unclear why Russia has taken this course at a time when it\nhopes for foreign aid to help ease its deep financial crisis. Russia\nrisks damaged ties with the U.S., international condemnation, and the\ndisruption of commerce in the Mediterranean. What is the motive?--\nmaking money from the missile sale; trying to divide NATO members;\nposturing against Israel and its expanding ties to Turkey; or asserting\na bold Russian presence abroad to divert attention from problems at\nhome? Certainly none of these reasons should be worth damaging\nrelations with the international community--or provoking hostilities in\nCyprus.\n  We should expect higher standards of conduct from Russia, a permanent\nmember of the U.N. Security Council. Further, its treatment of United\nStates diplomats, who are working to find solutions to a crisis which\neveryone except the Greek Cypriots and Russia want to resolve, is\nunacceptable.\n  The Administration needs to more forcefully persuade the Russian\nleadership to halt the sale. The President must take a hard line\nagainst Russia's treatment of United States diplomatic efforts and\npersonnel, and their efforts to thwart the will of the international\ncommunity. The U.S. and international community must not take sides in\nthe Cyprus matter, but work for an honest and fair solution for both\nsides. Stoking the fire with high tech weaponry sales to one party can\nonly lead to further deterioration and a more difficult road for\npeacemakers in the international community.\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-1998-12-18-pt1-PgE2347-4"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 20.031519001349807, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}