No. 101

Washington, DC—The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) joined with nine organizations to send a coalition letter to the U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC), citing “serious process issues” with the administration of the Cultural Property Implementation Act that makes CPAC vulnerable to approving Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with Middle Eastern countries that disrespect religious minorities, such as Turkey.

“It is unconscionable for the U.S. State Department to even consider a proposed MoU on cultural property from the Turkish government, especially in the light of its conversion of Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church in Istanbul,” President Nick Larigakis said. “The Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodox Christians are under assault by President Erdogan’s regime. The last thing the State Department should do is reward and provide an endorsement for such behavior and that is what the proposed MoU would do.” 

He added, “This is why it is important for the State Department’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee to get this process right and without administrative vulnerabilities that would be to Turkey’s advantage and this coalition letter addresses our concern.”

In appreciation for AHI’s advocacy on the issue, Arthur Houghton, president, Global Heritage Alliance, stated, “AHI and its legislative director, Elias Gerasoulis, have been instrumental in supporting GHA’s efforts against cultural property MOUs that recognize the claims of repressive governments like that of Turkey’s to the cultural property of displaced religious and ethnic minorities.”

Director of Legislative Affairs Elias Gerasoulis added, “We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Global Heritage Alliance’s coalition letter. It has been a pleasure to work with the GHA on this issue since day one, and we appreciate the dialogue we have had with the State Department's Office of Southern European Affairs as well as our allies in the Congress, especially Rep. Chris Smith and his staff.”

Background

In January 2020, AHI provided oral and written testimony to the Department of State, urging the agency to reject Turkey’s request for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that imposes import restrictions on cultural goods originating prior to 1924 or the formulation of the Turkish Republic.

Since January, AHI has raised awareness of the issue beyond CPAC, reaching out to other bureaus within the State Department and to Congress. During AHI’s annual commemoration of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus held in July 2020, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs stated, “I understand, through the American Hellenic Institute, that the Turkish government is pushing a MoU with our State Department, ostensibly to impose import restrictions on cultural property. As you know, I’ve chaired hearings on those issues in the past. This MoU deserves serious scrutiny, in light of Erdogan’s actions, and I do look forward to working with AHI on this as well.”