The 29th Annual Cyprus and Hellenic Leadership Conference opened Tuesday in Washington in the presence of Greek-American and Cypriot-American leaders from across the US and Hellenes from around the world.
The three-day Conference, hosted by the International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus" (PSEKA) and the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH), is attended by 100 delegates from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, who have the opportunity to meet with US administration officials and members of Congress and the Senate.
On the first day of the Conference, delegates were briefed by Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, responsible for Cyprus, Eric Rubin about the views of the US administration concerning the negotiations for a Cyprus settlement which are expected to begin later this year.
The Cypriot government is represented at the Conference by Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides, who also delivered a speech. The works are also attended by Mayor of Famagusta Alexis Galanos and Mayor of Kythrea Petros Kareklas, as well as foreign guests.
Addressing the delegates, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, responsible for Cyprus, Eric Rubin, said that the Cyprus issue constitutes a high priority of the US government.
Rubin, who paid recently a visit to Cyprus, said that the US would make every effort to act as “helpful outsiders” expressing the readiness of his government to offer support when needed, in the efforts to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem.
The US official also referred to the economic crisis in Cyprus, saying that the Cypriot Finance Minister has the toughest work in the world and that the crisis has not ended.
As a result, he said, the support for a better future in Cyprus, not just for its economy, but also for the world, constitutes an issue of high priority.
Concluding, he praised the work of the Greek American leadership in its role to improve relations between Greece and Cyprus with Israel.
In his speech at the Conference, President of PSEKA Philip Christopher said that since 1974 when the struggle for justice in Cyprus began, Turkey has not withdrawn not even one soldier from Cyprus, since its military invasion against the Mediterranean island in 1974. Nor has Turkey, he added, returned any territory which legally belongs to the Republic of Cyprus.
But Philip Christopher noted that the entity of the Republic of Cyprus has been safeguarded and that the island became a full member of the EU in May 2004.
He expressed disappointment with the Barack Obama government as regards the Cyprus issue, but pointed out that recent developments in Turkey change the climate in Washington.
The Conference was also addressed by President of the CEH, Andy Manatos.
In his speech, Manatos described the current period as crucial, and referred to the problems as well as to the opportunities that arise.
American Hellenic Institute (AHI) President Nick Larigakis talked about the need to support a bill at the US House of Representatives, which calls upon the US government to exert its pressure so that the economic situation in Cyprus is not exploited by those, who aim at imposing an unjust solution in Cyprus.
The first day of the Conference was also addressed among others by American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association’s Executive Director (AHEPA) Bill Mosaides, founder of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) Nikos Mouyiaris, former President of the Cyprus Federation of America Panikos Papanikolaou,
Ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus, Christos Panagopoulos and Giogrios Shiakallis respectively, Mayors of Famagusta and Kythrea Alexis Galanos and Petros Kareklas and German MEP Reimer Böge.
At the gala dinner on Wednesday, Archbishop of America Demetrios will be honoured, as well as Greek-American businessman Dennis Michel, and head of the Democrats in the House Committee of Foreign Affairs Elliot Engel.
On Thursday they will be briefed at the White House by a senior official of the National Security Council.
The Republic of Cyprus, which joined the EU in May 2004, has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and since then occupy 37% of Cyprus` territory, despite numerous resolutions and decisions by the UN, the EU and other international organisations, calling for Turkey`s withdrawal from Cyprus.
