Washington Times Carries AHI’s Call to Recall the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey

WASHINGTON, DC—James Morrison, columnist, Washington Times, made the American Hellenic Institute’s recent call to recall the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey the lead of his prominent “Embassy Row” column in the Tues., Feb. 23 edition of the Washington Times, page A10.

Morrison wrote in his lead paragraph:

“A powerful Greek-American lobby [AHI] is demanding that President Obama recall the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, accusing the envoy of making ‘unacceptable, disappointing and damaging’ remarks that ‘undermine the administration’s position on Cyprus.’”

Morrison added that AHI found Ambassador Jeffrey’s remarks “alarming and bring into question the Obama administration’s policy as it specifically relates to Cyprus.”  He also reported AHI’s criticism of the ambassador’s logic that Turkey is closer to Europe than Cyprus, an EU nation, as justification for Turkey’s EU prospects.  Morrison quoted AHI’s statement, “…[the]  ambassador uses flawed logic if he contends geography takes precedence above all other criteria to join the EU.”

“We welcome coverage of the Greek American community’s perspective and position on the Cyprus issue and U.S.-Turkey relations in mainstream media outlets,” said Executive Director Nick Larigakis. “This is especially true when our nation’s diplomats issue statements that do not reflect or support the position of the current administration. We continue our demand for Ambassador Jeffrey to be recalled.”

The Washington Times columnist also noted that Ambassador Jeffrey is a career Foreign Service officer appointed by President George W. Bush in 2008.

Morrison’s “Embassy Row” column is found at https://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/23/embassy-row-56228233/.

To view AHI’s complete statement on Ambassador Jeffrey’s remarks, please visit www.ahiworld.org.

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American think-tank and public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

###

For additional information, please contact C. Franciscos Economides at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our Web site at https://www.ahiworld.org.