Greek American leadership meets in Washington

Greek American leaders along with representatives from Europe will gather in Washington D.C., from May 16-19, for the 23rd Annual Conference organized by PSEKA, UHAC and the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, that is dedicated to Cyprus, Hellenic and Orthodox Issues. In addition to the meetings with members of U.S. Congress and the Bush administration, the delegates will listen to some of the top presidential candidates, amongst them, Senators Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama and Joe Biden (Democrats), as well as republican candidates John McCain and Rudie Giuliani (via phone from California).

On Wednesday, the delegates will be briefed at the State Department on Cyprus and other Hellenic issues by Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns.

This year’s PSEKA Conference is combined with other Hellenic issues. “We felt that by combining the Cyprus issue with other national Hellenic issues, it will give us more strength and the ability to reach out to Congressmen, Senators, and the Administration from a different angle”, said International Coordinating Committee “Justice for Cyprus” (PSEKA) President, Philip Christopher.

Religious freedom is the main theme, with the Archons of the Patriarchate participating. “But the religious freedom also does not exist in Northern Occupied Area of Cyprus, in which hundreds of churches have been destroyed and many of them are not allowed to operate. One church got sold, which is a despicable and disgraceful situation in the occupied area, as far as the Turks are concerned. Even Congressman Wexler, who is the founder of the Turkish Caucus, was appalled to hear about the situation of the churches”, Philip Christopher points out.

He further explained that they are taking that approach “because it’s going to open many things in the discussion. The reason there’s no religious freedom is because you have 40,000 troops occupying the northern part of the island, and that is the crux of the problems of Cyprus. If the occupation troops were not there and if there was indeed freedom of movement and freedom of religion and all the freedoms that we desire, then the problem would have been resolved”.

Philip Christopher stresses that in Cyprus our problem is not with the Turkish Cypriots, who are as much of a victim as the Greek Cypriots.

“They have also been displaced from their homes and many of them would like to reunify the island, but not with the occupation troops. The settlers that have come into the northern part of Cyprus are increasing. Many of the lands and the homes have been sold and we are no longer dealing with Turkish Cypriots; we are dealing with the Turkish settlers.”

Christopher is cautious in analyzing the recent crisis in Turkey. “We have to see exactly where the State Department stands and this Conference will give us the opportunity at least to exchange ideas about Turkish role in the Middle East or Turkish role in Europe, and all of us want Turkey to become a member of the European Union. But Turkey has to understand that in order to become a member of the European Union, there are certain obligations that they must uphold, and certain things they have to abide by. So, it comes in a political time of conference; the good thing is that we also have a campaign going on in the United States, both republican and democratic”.

On the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, he said that the Community Leadership will once more point out to the members of Congress and the administration their basic positions.

“We have a serious understanding problem, where many Congressmen and Senators do not understand the Cyprus problem. It’s unfortunate that after thirty-two years, with the exception of a few Congressmen and Senators who have lived from 1974 to today and they understand it, the rest of them have no clue. They think that it’s just a bi-communal problem that should be resolved peacefully. That there is a peace in Cyprus, the standard of living is up, Cyprus is a member of the European Union and they just don’t understand what the problem is.

This is important for us, that in order for anyone to understand the Cyprus problem and the significance of Cyprus to a democratic Turkey, in which you have to go back to the basics, and the basics is violations of human rights under the general basis, just the way Turkey violates human rights in their own country, it’s violating human rights in Cyprus. I think from our perspective as American citizens, you really cannot go to a Congressman or Senator and just talk to him/her about the July 8th meeting or the June 23rd meeting or that the technical Bureaucrats did not do this. We have to talk in more general terms, where thirty-two years ago, Turkey violated the American law by invading the island of Cyprus. For thirty-two years, they have made numerous resolutions, numerous attempts, but everything had failed; bottom line, because Turkey is not willing to obey the law, and that’s basically the message that we’re sending. Of course, we’re combining that with the religious freedom issues and all the other issues that surround Turkey”.

Echoing recent letters by Senators Menendez and Biden, as well as many House members, Philip Christopher points out the strategic role of Cyprus, as it has been proven during the Lebanon Crisis.

“Cyprus and the United States enjoy a good relationship, but the Republic of Cyprus has demonstrated time and time again, whether it’s the Lebanon Crisis, Iraq Crisis. The Republic of Cyprus, the democratic republic if it was not there, and if it was a public government of Turkey, as you saw what Turkey did in terms of allowing our troops to cross during the Iraq War. So the only reliable ally that the United States has in the Middle East at this point is Cyprus.

Every time they asked us for something, whether it’s drug trafficking or terrorist activities, the Republic of Cyprus has cooperated one-hundred percent. There’s numerous letters from the State Department and the White House, applauding Cyprus and the way it has conducted itself as a world and a European democratic country.”

He adds that we have to look at our problem now as a more regional strategic problem.
“The United States has to be presented with that situation in that manner. It’s in the interest of the United States to have a free democratic Republic of Cyprus, member of the European Union, member of the United Nations, and an ally of the United States.
This is the message that has to go through. With the exception of a few Congressmen and Senators that know the details on a daily basis of what was the Anan Plan, bottom line, this is the message we have to send out”.

“My position as President of PSEKA is that after the Anan vote, all bets are off. What we need in Cyprus is a free democratic Republic that respects the minority, with their human rights, and also respect for their majority”.

Besides Cyprus problem and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, high on the agenda will be the Macedonian problem. Greek Americans leaders of Cypriot descent played a crucial role in the resolution passed by Congress on FYROM’s participation in NATO that disturbed Skopje.

“This is the message that we’re sending to Greek Americans all over, and I often say it in my speeches, if it was not for the tragedy of Cyprus, I’m not sure where we would be as a community politically. It is the Cyprus issue that has mobilized the Greek American community into a collected political force”.