No. 53

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute’s (AHI) policy positions on United States – Greece defense cooperation were reaffirmed during the visit of Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Athens, Greece, this week.  Gen. Dunford met with Adm. Evangelos Apostolakis, chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, at the Ministry of Defense, Sept. 4.

“It is refreshing to hear the United States’ top military official state that he welcomed seeing the Eastern Mediterranean region ‘through a Greek lens,’ gaining great benefit from the Greek perspective,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said, alluding to a Department of Defense report about the visit. “We laud the importance General Dunford placed on NSA Souda Bay and the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program’s contribution toward a deepening relationship between the United States and Greece.”

Larigakis added, “For General Dunford to gain a firsthand understanding of the regional challenges posed to Greece while stating clearly how the United States has taken advantage of Souda Bay and the base is a critical piece of the regional infrastructure – these are significant statements coming from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

Background

AHI has championed Greece’s strategic importance to the United States, and advocated for a strengthening of U.S.-Greece defense cooperation, with high-profile events in Washington and Athens that featured high-ranking Greek and U.S. government officials.  These events also have brought together Greece’s top military officials with key representatives of the defense sector.  In addition, Greece’s importance to the United States’ security interests, and NSA Souda Bay’s critical role to project those interests, are presented annually to congressional appropriators in written testimony submitted by AHI. 

AHI worked with Congress to secure a much-needed boost for Greece’s International Military Education and Training (IMET) program. AHI’s written testimony to congressional appropriators supported increased investment in the program. For Fiscal Year 2018, Congress appropriated $1 million for Greece’s IMET program, the largest investment in the program.  Among the many program benefits, IMET allows Greek military students to experience American culture, and IMET encourages the development of relationships with their peers (classmates) in the U.S. military. As confirmed in the Department of Defense piece, Adm. Apostolakis is an IMET “success story.”

Specific to NSA Souda Bay, AHI and Lexington Institute co-hosted a presentation on Capitol Hill that announced the release of a white paper, “Souda Bay: NATO’s Military Gem in the Eastern Mediterranean” in 2016. The rollout featured remarks by Greece’s Minister of Defense Panos Kammenos.

Greece is a frontline state in the fight against terrorism. Despite its economic difficulties, Greece continues to be of vital importance for the projection of U.S. strategic interests by its geographic location and its strong, unwavering support for NATO.  Greece is home to the most important naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Crete—a key military facility in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“The U.S. enjoys a strong defense relationship with Greece,” Larigakis said. “Greece has been critical to the delivery of U.S. troops, cargo, and supplies, providing access and extending the U.S. and NATO's reach into the Middle East and North Africa.  General Dunford’s statements underscore Souda Bay as a critical piece to the infrastructure of the region.”

No. 52

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) summer internship program is designed for college students who wish to gain experience in government affairs and foreign policy issues. AHI prides itself in preparing college students for the next step in their international relations careers, and this past summer, Alexandra Choate and Alexis Tsapralis took full advantage of their time as AHI’s interns.

Alexandra Choate is a rising junior at Queens University of Charlotte where she majors in Political Science. During her internship, Alexandra attended and reported on symposiums and panels located across Washington, D.C. and assisted in editing AHI’s soon-to-be-published book, “The Future of Hellenism in America,” among other important duties. “This internship was deeply meaningful to me in the sense that everyday at work was a chance to do right by my heritage: to push for stronger US support for Greece and Cyprus, to advocate for Greek American interests, to demand real change in the most powerful city in America. Pursuing a major (and, eventually, a career) in Political Science, I feel overwhelmingly grateful for the experience AHI and Washington DC gave me. I was able to apply my knowledge from university into a real world setting, and grow and adapt in real time,” Alexandra said.

Following her internship with AHI, Alexandra plans on applying for AHIF’s 11th Student Foreign Policy Trip. She also plans on applying to graduate programs that will allow her to further explore the field of politics. “I want to thank everyone at AHI for welcoming me into their organization and into their city. This past summer was priceless in terms of both memories and experiences, which will guide me through my education and into a career in politics. There really aren't enough words to express my gratitude, so I'll just say ευχαριστώ για όλα, and I hope to connect again with AHI next summer!”

Alexis Tsapralis is a rising junior at Barnard College of Columbia University where she majors in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. Following her participation in AHI Foundation’s Foreign Policy Trip to Washington, D.C., Cyprus, and Greece, Alexis returned to AHI where she drafted press releases, attended panel events, composed Capitol Reports, and conducted research on relevant breaking news pertaining to the Eastern Mediterranean. “This internship was an invaluable experience. Not only was I able to put into practice the knowledge I gained while on AHIF’s Foreign Policy Trip, but I was also able to deepen my understanding of the core issues affecting the Eastern Mediterranean. It was incredible to watch firsthand the effectiveness of AHI’s work in shaping foreign policy and this opportunity only strengthened my passion for international relations,” Alexis comments.

Following her internship with AHI, Alexis hopes to achieve a Masters in International Affairs where she plans to focus on Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy, and International Security. “I can’t begin to express my most sincere gratitude for all the opportunities AHI has afforded to me through this internship. This experience has made me a more well-rounded student of international relations and confident hopeful-future politician. Thank you to everyone at AHI for making this internship experience a successful and memorable one!”

AHI’s internship program is designed for college students who are interested in learning more about U.S.-Greece- Cyprus relations and how foreign policy is formulate in Washington, DC. Students who are chosen for the program spent weeks to months working on various assignments comprising of research projects, attending events in area think tanks and in congress, and assisting with an assortment of educational events sponsored by AHI.

For more information on AHI internship positions please click the button below:

No. 51

WASHINGTON, DC —Two American Hellenic Institute (AHI) Board Members earned media placement for their commentaries on current events affecting the Eastern Mediterranean region.

AHI Board Member Nicholas G. Karambelas, Esq., who also serves as AHI volunteer legal counsel, and who is a partner at Sfikas & Karambelas LLP, appeared on CGTN America to discuss Greece’s economy, August 20, 2018.  CGTN's Elaine Reyes interviewed Karambelas about the end of Greece’s bailout program and what it means for the country going forward. 

Karambelas is concerned that the legal relationship with the EU creditors addresses macroeconomics but not much about commerce.  Capitalist economies emerge from recessions, panics or depressions only when people start buying and selling.  

“I see nothing that as a result of the three memoranda…that puts money in people’s pockets,” Karambelas said.

Although Karambelas noted some progress in Greece’s investment climate, he added the need still exists to make the climate more conducive to attract foreign investment.  Karambelas also believes confidence will build as commerce increases.  However, this process will ebb and flow because the Greek economy is vulnerable to the complexities of global economics.

AHI Board Member: U.S. Should Consider Demanding Publicly Removal of Turkish Troops from Cyprus

The Washington Post placed a Letter to the Editor authored by AHI Board Member James L. Marketos, Esq., titled, “The U.S. should press Turkey to withdraw from Cyprus,” August 20, 2018.  Marketos’s letter, in response to an August 16 editorial titled, “A better way to use U.S. leverage,” suggests if the United States is considering ways to increase its leverage over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that it should consider demanding publicly the removal of all Turkish forces from Cyprus.

Marketos writes, “Doing so now would not only atone for U.S. complicity in causing Cyprus’s division in the first place but also expose the injustice of Turkey’s recent interference with U.S. commercial interests in the region. The United States can increase its leverage over Mr. Erdogan by announcing publicly that it is time for the Turkish army to leave Cyprus.”

No. 50

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute’s (AHI) policy objectives to advocate for NSA Souda Bay’s geostrategic importance to the national security interests of the United States were accomplished with the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (NDAA). The Act authorizes $47.85 million in military construction funding for NSA Souda Bay, a further indication of increased defense cooperation between the United States and Greece.

AHI has advocated for Greece’s strategic importance to the United States, and for a strengthening of U.S.-Greece defense cooperation, with high-profile events in Washington and Athens that featured high-ranking Greek and U.S. government officials.  These events also have brought together Greece’s top military officials with key representatives of the defense sector.  In addition, Greece’s importance to the United States’ security interests, and NSA Souda Bay’s critical role to project those interests, are presented annually to congressional appropriators in written testimony submitted by AHI. 

Specific to NSA Souda Bay, AHI and Lexington Institute co-hosted a presentation on Capitol Hill that announced the release of a white paper, “Souda Bay: NATO’s Military Gem in the Eastern Mediterranean” in 2016. The rollout featured remarks by Greece’s Minister of Defense Panos Kammenos.

“We applaud the bill’s enactment and commend the legislators who championed the authorization of significant capital investment in NSA Souda Bay,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said. “It speaks to the strengthening of defense cooperation between NATO allies, the United States and Greece; and further, it is a policy victory that we must work to ensure is carried-out during the appropriations process and continues in future defense authorization bills.”

On Investment in NSA Souda Bay, Crete

Greece is a frontline state in the fight against terrorism. Despite its economic difficulties, Greece continues to be of vital importance for the projection of U.S. strategic interests by its geographic location and its strong, unwavering support for NATO.  Greece is home to the most important naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Crete—a key military facility in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“The U.S. enjoys a strong defense relationship with Greece,” Larigakis said. “Greece has been critical to the delivery of U.S. troops, cargo, and supplies, providing access and extending the U.S. and NATO's reach into the Middle East and North Africa. As Souda Bay gains increased importance and utilization, the defense bill’s fiscal year 2019 investment for capital improvement to the facilities at Souda Bay is lauded.”