American Hellenic Institute

 

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ACTION ALERT

TO: AHI Chapter Presidents, Congressional Contact Leaders, Members & Friends
FROM: Nick Larigakis, AHI Executive Director
DATE: August 10, 2005
Re:

CONTACT THE OFFICES OF DELEGATION WHO PARTICIPATED IN TRIP TO OCCUPIED CYPRUS VIA ILLEGAL TYMBOU AIRPORT TO VOICE DISPLEASURE THAT THEY VIOLATED THE RULE OF LAW.

BACKGROUND:

We have recently found out the names of the seven staffers on a congressional staff delegation who flew into Occupied Cyprus via the illegal Tymbou Airport. The names and contact info for the seven congressional staff members follows:

House of Representatives

1. LeAnne Holdman
Senior Legislative Assistant
Office of Congressman Mike Pence (R-Indiana, 6th District)
Turkish Caucus, International Relations, Judiciary, Agriculture
Tel.: (202) 225-3021
Fax: (202) 225-3382
Email: LeAnn.Holdman@mail.house.gov
Internet: www.mikepence.house.gov

2. Megan Medley
Senior Legislative Assistant
Office of Congressman Robert B. Aderholt (R-Alabama, 4th District)
Turkish Caucus, Appropriations
Tel.: (202) 225-4876
Fax: (202) 225-5587
Email: megan.medley@mail.house.gov
Internet: www.house.gov/aderholt

3. Sean Hughes
Legislative Assistant
Office of Congressman Jim McDermott (D-Washington, 7th District)
Hellenic Caucus, Ways and Means
Tel.: (202) 225-3106
Fax: (202) 225-6197
Email: sean.hughes@mail.house.gov
Internet: www.house.gov/mcdermott

4. Stephen Schatz
Legislative Assistant
Office of Congressman Dan Burton (R-Indiana, 5th District)
Turkish Caucus, International Relations, Government Reform
Tel.: (202) 225-2276
Fax: (202) 225-0016
Email: stephen.schatz@mail.house.gov
Internet: www.house.gov/burton

5. Sarah Greer
Legislative Correspondent
Office of Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Texas, 12th District)
Turkish Caucus, Appropriations
Tel.: (202) 225-5071
Fax: (202) 225-5683
Email: texas.granger@mail.house.gov
Internet: www.kaygranger.house.gov

Senate

1. Ike Brannon
Chief Economist for the Vice Chairman (Senator Robert F. Bennett, Republican, Utah)
Majority Staff, Joint Economic Committee Appropriations
Tel.: (202) 224-5171
Fax: (202) 224-0240
Internet: www.jec.senate.gov

2. Elizabeth McDonnell
Legislative Assistant
Office of Senator Gordon H. Smith (Republican, Oregon)
Friend of Cyprus, Finance
Tel.: (202) 224-3753
Fax (202) 228-3997
Email: Elizabeth_mcdonnell@gsmith.senate.gov
Internet: www.gsmith.senate.gov

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

  1. Contact the offices of the seven congressional staff delegation to voice, in a courteous manner, your displeasure with their flying into Occupied Cyprus via the illegal Tymbou Airport in violation of the rule of law.

    QUESTIONS TO ASK:

    1. Did they realize they were in violation of the rule of law? Had they read the remarks on this subject by Senator Olympia Snowe on the Senate floor on July 29?

    2. Were they show the Turkish military bases with 40,000 illegal Turkish Troops with U.S.-supplied arms and equipment including hundreds of U.S. tanks?

    3. Were they shown the 300 plus churches vandalized by the Turkish forces?

    4. Were they shown the thousands of Greek Cypriot homes illegally occupied by the 120,000 illegal settlers from Turkey in violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949?

    5. Were they shown the Turkish barbed wire fence across the face of Cyprus which, together with their troops and settlers, is the cause of the economic and social isolation of the Turkish Cypriots?

    The Tymbou airport was built on property illegally taken from its lawful owners during the Turkish invasion in 1974. Their visit constitutes a second violation of the rule of law by congressional personnel this year. During the memorial day holiday, a congressional delegation led by Turkish Caucus Co-Chairman Edward Whitfield (R-KY) that included Representatives Nathan Deal (R-GA), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), and one staffer of Turkish Caucus Chairman Wexler (D-FL), illegally flew into the illegal Tymbou Airport directly from Turkey bypassing the legal entry points to Occupied Cyprus via Larnaca and Paphos.

    The American Hellenic Institute (AHI), on behalf of its nationwide membership, is strongly opposed to any congressional trip through the illegal Tymbou airport which violates U.S. law and international law and does not serve the best interests of the United States in support of a proper solution to the reunification of Cyprus.

    The AHI strongly supports visits to Cyprus, including the occupied area of Cyprus in the north, if they are done in a manner consistent with international law and U.S. law. The internationally recognized government of the Republic of Cyprus facilitates such visits from a legal and internationally recognized airport in the Republic of Cyprus, such as Larnaca and Paphos airports, to the various crossing points in the UN monitored buffer zone.

    The congressional staff, who are taking part in this trip through the illegal Tymbou airport instead of the legal airports of Larnaca or Paphos, place themselves in a position of aiding and abetting the violation of the laws of the Republic of Cyprus, a friendly nation who has helped the U.S. substantially on many important occasions, and the violation of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation of December, 1944. It further lends endorsement of the illegal occupation and violation of human rights by Turkey in Cyprus.

    Finally, this trip has adverse effect against the legitimate government of Cyprus. A message would be sent that certain U.S. Congressmen do not support a resolution to the Cyprus problem that is consistent with UN resolutions and the rule of law. A viable solution to the Cyprus problem that is just and equitable to both sides would undoubtedly set a great example for the region, but supporting this trip will only serve to exacerbate the problem.

For your information, please find the following items attached:
 

THE AMERICAN HELLENIC Institute (AHI), was founded on August 1, 1974, following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus with the illegal use of American-supplied arms in violation of U.S. laws and agreements. The AHI initiated the rule of law issue in the Congress in the interests of the U.S., thus changing the face of American politics. <<<Continue>>>

© 2006 American Hellenic Institute