American Hellenic Institute

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AHI Activates Congressional And Grassroots Initiatives To Bolster Support For Greece, Cyprus At Capitol Hill Hearing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: CHRYSOULA ECONOMOPOULOS
June 15, 2001 No. 31/01 (202) 785-8430

AHI Activates Congressional And Grassroots Initiatives To Bolster Support For Greece, Cyprus At Capitol Hill Hearing

WASHINGTON, DC -- On June 13, 2001, the House International Relations Subcommittee on Europe convened a hearing on the subject of "U.S. Policy in the Eastern Mediterranean: Managing the Greece, Turkey, Cyprus Triangle." The hearing highlighted recommendations and future approaches to be taken by the U.S. in this key region.

Presiding over the hearing was Rep. Elton Gallegly (R, CA), with testimony presented by: Ian O. Lesser, Ph.D., Senior Analyst at The RAND Corporation; the Honorable Nelson Ledsky, Senior Analyst at the National Democratic Institute and Former Cyprus negotiator; and Mr. John Sitilides, Executive Director of The Western Policy Institute.

Upon announcement of the hearing, the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) immediately launched a grassroots campaign that focused on raising the awareness of all subcommittee members on important issues in the Greece-Turkey-Cyprus triangle. The AHI submitted to each subcommittee member a memorandum of policy recommendations regarding U.S. interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Also submitted was a list of questions to be considered by subcommittee members for the question and answer segment of the hearing.

AHI concurrently urged AHI members to contact their representative and urge them to:

  1. consider AHI's memorandum regarding the region;
  2. emphasize the key role played by Greece as an ally of the U.S.; and
  3. reinforce the positive benefits of Cyprus' European Union (EU) accession to the U.S.

The AHI will also be submitting testimony to the subcommittee to reinforce its position as set forth in the AHI's 2001 Greek American Policy Statements.

To obtain additional information regarding AHI's grassroots campaign, including a copy of the memorandum and list of questions submitted for consideration by the Europe Subcommittee, please contact Chrysoula Economopoulos at (202) 785-8430 or chrysoula@ahiworld.org, and visit our Web site athttps://www.ahiworld.org.