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AHI Transmits 2006 Greek American Policy Statements to President George W. Bush

WASHINGTON, DC—On May 24, 2006, AHI sent a letter to President George W. Bush transmitting the 2006 Greek American Policy Statements to him. These statements were prepared by the American Hellenic Institute and endorsed by the major Greek American membership organizations. These organizations are: the Order of AHEPA, the Hellenic American National Council, the Cyprus Federation of America, the Panepirotic Federation of America, the Pan-Macedonian Association of America, the PanCretan Association of America, the Pan-Pontian Federation of U.S.A. and Canada and the American Hellenic Council of California. The text of the letter follows:

May 24, 2006

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Re: 2006 Greek American Policy Statements

Dear Mr. President:

I am pleased to transmit to you the 2006 Greek American Policy Statements prepared by the American Hellenic Institute and endorsed by the following leading Greek American membership organizations: the Order of Ahepa, Hellenic American National Council, Cyprus Federation of America, Panepirotic Federation of America, Pan-Macedonian Association of America, PanCretan Association of America, Pan-Pontian Federation of U.S.A. and Canada, American Hellenic Council of California and the American Hellenic Institute.

The policies set forth herein are based in each case on the question of what is in the best interests of the United States.

The U.S. has important and vital interests in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. These include the significant energy, commercial and communications resources that transit the region.

These policy statements deal primarily with U.S. relations with Greece, Cyprus and Turkey as they bear on overall U.S. interests in the region.

The U.S. should look to Greece as an immensely valuable link in the region. We have stated for decades that Greece is the strategic, political and economic key for the U.S. in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean and a proven and reliable ally. We call for a special relationship between the U.S. and Greece for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Cyprus is an important nation for U.S. interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. The so-called “Sovereign British Bases” on Cyprus and the British listening posts on Cyprus are on Cyprus territory and have been of significant importance to the U.S. Cyprus is a member of the European Union (EU) and a western-oriented country. It is important to U.S. interests that it remain so.

We support a settlement of the Cyprus problem through negotiations based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation in a state with a single sovereignty and international personality, incorporating the norms of a constitutional democracy embracing key American principles, the EU acquis communautaire, UN resolutions on Cyprus, the pertinent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and of other European Courts.

We specifically endorse the following statement by Vice President and Presidential candidate George H. W. Bush made on July 7, 1988 in a speech in Boston:

“We seek for Cyprus a constitutional democracy based on majority rule, the rule of law, and the protection of minority rights….I want to see a democratic Cyprus free from the threat of war.”

Turkey is the main cause of the problems in its region, the northeastern Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea and in the southern Caucasus. Turkey is hardly a model for the Muslim world or for anyone.

Turkey is a proven unreliable ally who refused to allow the U.S. to use bases in Turkey to open a northern front against the Saddam Hussein dictatorship because she wanted $6 billion more—in addition to the $26 billion irresponsibly offered by the Administration through then Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz—for a total of $32 billion. An administration official called Turkey’s negotiating tactics “extortion in the name of alliance.” (N.Y. Times, Feb. 20, 2003; A1; col.6)

The U.S. defeated the Saddam Hussein dictatorship without Turkey’s help which demonstrated Turkey’s minimal value as a strategic ally.

Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stated that Turkey’s failure to help, in effect, caused increased casualties for U.S. forces.

Turkey’s unreliability is not new! During the Cold War Turkey actively aided the Soviet military to the serious detriment of the U.S. (See Exhibit 1 to the enclosed 2006 Greek American Policy Statements.)

The U.S. in its own best interests should critically review and reassess its relations with Turkey. In addition to an arms embargo and economic sanctions, the U.S. should consider removing trade and other benefits if Turkey refuses to:

1. remove its illegal armed invasion and occupation forces from Cyprus;
2. end its illegal 32 year occupation of 37.3 percent of Cyprus;
3. remove the Turkish barbed wire fence across Cyprus;
4. return the 120,000 illegal Turkish colonists/settlers in Cyprus to Turkey;
5. open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and aircraft; and
6. stop its violations against Greece’s territorial integrity in the Aegean and in Greek airspace.

Turkey’s invasion and occupation troops in occupied Cyprus and Turkey’s barbed wire fence are the cause of the Turkish Cypriot economic isolation, not the Government of Cyprus’ adherence to the rule of law.

The following topics are covered in the 2006 policy statements:

The U.S. Should Establish a “Special Relationship” with Greece

The Cyprus Problem

Background

President Tassos Papadopoulos’ Initiative with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised

Annan Plan was “not a viable solution to the Cyprus problem”

Syrian Troops Out of Lebanon—Turkish Troops Out of Cyprus

Removal from Cyprus of Turkey’s 120,000 illegal colonists/settlers

Tear down Turkey’s barbed wire fence across the face of Cyprus

Aegean Sea Boundary

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Turkey’s Suppression of the Religious Freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Critical Review of U.S. Policy Toward Turkey Needed

Turkey’s “No” vote on March 1, 2003

Turkey and the EU

Turkey’s Human Rights Violations Against Its Kurdish Minority

Turkey’s Armenian Genocide

Turkey’s Greek Pontian Genocide

No Economic or Military Aid or Arms Sales to Turkey, Economic Sanctions and Withdrawal of Benefits

Turkey in Violation of U.S. Law and its Agreement by Transfer of U.S.-originTanks to Cyprus

Turkey—a major drug trafficking nation

Compensation To Turkey's Victims

Albania

__________

Your consideration of our views on the above issues, based on what we believe is in the best interests of the U.S., is very much appreciated

Respectfully,

Gene Rossides

Enclosure

cc: Vice President Richard B. Cheney
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas R. Burns
Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes
Chief of Staff to the President Joshua B. Bolten
Special Assistant to the President Karl Rove
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley
Director of OMB Rob Portman
Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Daniel Fried
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Matthew Bryza
Director of Southern European Affairs Douglas Silliman
U.S. Ambassador to Greece Charles Reis
U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Ronald L. Schlicher
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson
Greek Desk Officer Joseph Parente
Cyprus Desk Officer Katherine Ingmanson
Cyprus Desk Officer Elise Mellinger
Turkey Desk Officer Andrew Morrison
The Congress

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The letter to President Bush and the 2006 Greek American Policy Statements are available on the AHI Web site www.ahiworld.org.

Please go to the following link for the full 2006 Greek American Policy Statements http://ahiworld.org/policy_statements.html

For additional information, please contact Georgia Economou at (202) 785-8430 or georgia@ahiworld.org. For general information regarding the activities of AHI, please view our Web site at http://www.ahiworld.org.

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