AHI To Hold Conference in Athens on May 4-5, 1999

The American Hellenic Institute is pleased to announce that on May 4-5 it will hold a conference on "United States-Greece Relations: The American Foreign Policy Process and the Role of Greek Americans" at the Intercontinental Hotel, Athens. This will be AHI's first conference in Athens.

The Conference will take place on May 5. On the preceding evening of May 4 there will be a gala dinner at which Foreign Minister George Papandreou has been invited to give the keynote speech. On May 5 the conference will be opened by U.S. Ambassador to Greece Nick Burns. Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, President of New Democracy, has agreed to be the luncheon keynote speaker. The conference will conclude with a reception to be held at the Residence of Ambassador Burns.

The objectives of the conference will be (1) to explain to a Greek audience the essentials of the American foreign policy process and how it differs from the European parliamentary system and (2) to describe the current status of U.S.-Greek relations from an American point of view. Through this conference we hope to help forge a more effective partnership between the Greece and the United States.

Topics to be discussed include:

•Current U.S. Policy toward Greece: The Administration and the 106th Congress. Speaker: Professor Van Coufoudakis

•The Making of American Foreign Policy: The Interaction between the Executive and Legislative Branches and the Role of Greek Americans. Speaker: Mr. Eugene T. Rossides

•Outside Influences on U.S. Foreign Policy: Speakers: Mr. Jonathan Clarke and Mr. Nick Karambelas

•The Lobby Process: AHI at Work. Speaker: Mr. Nick Larigakis

•Modern Greek Studies in the U.S. and the Role of the Modern Greek Studies Association. Speaker: Professor Van Coufoudakis

•AHI as a Facilitator in Promoting Greek Business Interests in the United States. Speaker: Mr. Eugene T. Rossides

All AHI members and guests are welcome to attend this conference. Further information is available from AHI.