House Subcommittee Unanimously Approves H.Con.Res. 164 Supporting Cyprus Accession To The EU WASHINGTON, DC -- On July 24, 2002, the House International Relations Committee's Europe Subcommittee unanimously approved H.Con.Res. 164, a bill which expresses the sense of Congress that security, reconciliation, and prosperity for all Cypriots can be best achieved within the context of membership in the European Union (EU). EU membership will provide significant rights and obligations for all Cypriots, and for other purposes. The American Hellenic Institute's (AHI) Executive Director Nick Larigakis said, "This was a major victory for us in the Subcommittee. Now the fight will proceed to the full House International Relations Committee. We'll be working the grassroots community during the month of August, targeting the 49 members of the full committee to gain their support of this important legislative measure. At this stage, it is crucial that our community members contact their lawmakers serving on this committee to ask them to support H.Con.Res. 164 as in the best interests of the U.S." Passage of H.Con.Res. 164 is a significant step towards reaffirming U.S. support for Cyprus' accession to the EU without preconditions, and of the EU Helsinki Summit decisions of December 1999. H.Con.Res. 164 was introduced byRepresentative Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), who worked hard to obtain support for the bill in Congress generally, and among the European Subcommittee members in particular. The House resolution is a strong and unequivocal reminder to the Turkish government that Cyprus' accession will not be held hostage by Turkey. As the EU's December 2002 time frame to admit new applicants approaches, H.Con.Res.164 clearly expresses the U.S. position that Cyprus will be admitted to the EU with or without a settlement of the Cyprus problem, and that Turkish intransigence will not be an obstacle in securing Cyprus' rightful place in the EU. Following is a list of the House International Relations Committee's members. The full Committee list, with links to each Representative's website, is also available on the Internet at https://www.house.gov/international_relations/mem107.htm. We urge community members to contact their representatives to urge their support of H.Con.Res. 164, particularly if they are one of the 49 members listed below and not a current cosponsor of the resolution. For additional information about H.Con.Res. 164 and how to contact your representative, please contact Chrysoula Economopoulos at (202) 785-8430 orchrysoula@ahiworld.org. For general information regarding the activities of AHI, please view our website at https://www.ahiworld.org. House International Relations Committee Members Republican (26) |
House Subcommittee Unanimously Approves H.Con.Res. 164 Supporting Cyprus Accession To The EU
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