Greek American Organizations’ Statement on Policy Themes

WASHINGTON, DC—The American Hellenic Institute announced today that the major Greek American membership organizations endorsed the statement on Policy Themes prepared by the American Hellenic Institute. These are: the Order of AHEPA, the Hellenic American National Council, the Cyprus Federation of America, the Panepirotic Federation of America, the Pan-Macedonian Association of America, the Evrytanian Association of America and the American Hellenic Institute. The endorsed statement, which is part of the 2005 Greek American Policy Statements, follows:

Policy Themes

Since its founding in 1974, AHI has consistently advocated the following policy themes as in the best interests of the United States:

• In the spirit of the following presidential statements, U.S. interests are best served by applying American values spearheaded by the rule of law in international affairs.

"There can be no peace without law. And there can be no law if we were to invoke one code of international conduct for those who oppose us and another for our friends." President Dwight D. Eisenhower, condemning the invasion of Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel in his October 31, 1956, television and radio report to the nation. President Eisenhower’s actions halted and reversed the aggression.

"We are united in the belief that Iraq's aggression must not be tolerated. No peaceful international order is possible if larger states can devour their smaller neighbors.

* * * * *

[W]e are determined to see this aggression end, and if the current steps fail to end it, we are prepared to consider additional ones consistent with the U.N. Charter. We must demonstrate beyond any doubt that aggression cannot and will not pay." Joint Statement by President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev on September 9,1990 condemning Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and declaring that "aggression cannot and will not pay."

"We have before us the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a new world order, a world where the rule of law, not the rule of the jungle, governs the conduct of nations." President George H.W. Bush, on January 16, 1991, the day the Persian Gulf air war began against Iraqi forces.

"Most Americans know instinctively why we are in the Gulf. . . .They know that we need to build a new, enduring peace based not on arms races and confrontation but on shared principles and the rule of law." President George H.W. Bush’s January 29, 1991, State of the Union address.

"This is a victory for the United Nations, for all mankind, for the rule of law and for what is right." President George H.W. Bush’s February 27, 1991 announcement to the nation that "Kuwait is liberated."

"We seek for Cyprus a constitutional democracy based on majority rule, the rule of law, and the protection of minority rights." Presidential candidate Vice President George H. W. Bush statement on July 7, 1988 in a speech in Boston.

"A Cyprus settlement should be consistent with the fundamental principles of human rights and democratic norms and practices." Statement by presidential candidate Governor Bill Clinton in 1992.

• As clearly set forth in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and other U.S. statutes, U.S. foreign policy is required to foster and embody U.S. values, including human rights.
  
  
• The U.S. should have a "special relationship" with Greece, recognizing that Greece’s strategic location and proximity to its neighbors, with whom the U.S. has important commercial, military, and political interests, and Greece’s proven reliability as a strategic ally, makes Greece a pivotal nation for the advancement of U.S. interests in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly in the rebuilding of the Balkans. The naval base at Souda Bay, Crete, is the key base for the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean.
  
  
• A Cyprus settlement should not reward aggression, but should be based on democratic norms, UN resolutions, EU laws and constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. Cyprus should be recognized as an important partner for U.S. strategic interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
  
  
• The U.S. use of a double standard regarding Turkey harms the U.S. promotion of the rule of law, human rights, democracy and freedom universally.
  
  
• U.S. interests are best served by supporting rapprochement between Greece and Turkey based on the rule of law and democratic norms.
  
  
• U.S. interest are best served by promoting Turkey’s emergence as a fully democratic state whether or not she accedes to the EU.

###

For additional information, please contact Georgia Economou at (202) 785-8430 or at georgia@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our Web site at http://www.ahiworld.org.

Back to top