NO. 44

The U.S. Department of State responded to the American Hellenic Institute (AHI)’s set of policy statements the Institute submitted to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on March 22, 2021. Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Palmer responded on behalf of Secretary of State Blinken in an April 7, 2021 letter to AHI President Nick Larigakis.

“We appreciate the State Department’s overall response to our policy statements,” President Larigakis said. “The department’s response conveys the Biden Administration’s ‘commitment to ensuring stability in the Eastern Mediterranean’ and a belief the ‘sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected and protected.’”

Larigakis noted the letter reaffirms the “all-time high” state of relations between the United States and Greece and correctly identifies Greece as an “important NATO Ally and leader in efforts to maintain peace, stability, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Western Balkans.” It also reaffirms the United States’ position on a Cyprus solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

AHI contends a key to peace and stability in the region is for good neighborly relations among NATO members and respect for the rule of law. The State Department’s response does not acknowledge, in an explicit and direct manner, the provocative actions of Turkey in the region.

Secretary Blinken’s statements made during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in March about Turkey’s provocations were direct. There, Secretary Blinken expressed “concern” about Turkey’s provocations, and he cited examples, including violations of Greece’s airspace. The letter did not reflect the Secretary’s testimony.

AHI will continue to focus its attention on the very important geostrategic region of the Eastern Mediterranean and continue to call out Turkey as long as it perpetuates instability and threatens peace to the detriment of U.S. interests.

“The United States must hold Turkey accountable for its illegal actions and blatant disregard for the rule of law,” Larigakis said.

Please see the full State Department response here.

For Background

AHI applauded Secretary Blinken’s March 10, 2021 testimony to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs where he expressed “concern” about Turkey’s provocations and called out Turkey on several fronts, including its purchase of S-400 missile systems, violation of Greece’s airspace, and overall provocative behavior,”

Secretary Blinken’s full quote: “...It is very important that the U.S. stands up and engages in advancing stability and sovereignty and territorial integrity of all parties in the Eastern Mediterranean and insists that any disputes that arise to be resolved peacefully, diplomatically, not militarily and certainly not through provocative actions. We have called out actions, including by Turkey, that in our judgment violate international law or commitments as a NATO ally in the case of the S-400s and that includes provocative actions against Greece, like violations of airspace, threats of force, etc.”