NEW YORK – New York State Assemblyman Michael Tannousis who represents parts of Southern Brooklyn and the East Shore of Staten Island on May 17 released the following statement: ”I fully support the effort by my good friend Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and the tremendous bipartisan coalition calling on the Biden administration to condemn Turkey for its illegal occupation of Cyprus and to encourage the resolution of the Cyprus problem as a top foreign policy priority.

"As the child of Cypriot refugees displaced by this very conflict, I am very familiar with the illegal invasion which took place on Cyprus in 1974 and Turkey’s violations of various treaties, including the North Atlantic Treaty and the Treaty of Guarantee. It is time that the United States place this conflict at the top of its foreign policy priorities.

“Cyprus has been illegally occupied by a foreign power for almost 50 years without any international repercussions. We cannot sit idly by while the Cypriot people continue to face this injustice."