AHI Releases Letter Requesting Secretary Clinton to Clarify Ambassador’s Remarks on Cyprus

Meeting Sought with Assistant Secretary of State Gordon

WASHINGTON, DC—The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) released a letter today it sent to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on March 1, 2010, expressing the Institute’s “very serious concerns” with the public record remarks made by U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey that brought into question the Obama Administration’s policy as it relates to Cyprus. The remarks were published in a three-part interview the ambassador had with Sabah, a Turkish daily newspaper, on February 3-5.

“In our view, we feel that the comments of Ambassador Jeffrey were so damaging and irresponsible, that the Administration should respond by having Ambassador Jeffrey recalled,” wrote AHI President Aleco Haralambides and Executive Director Nick Larigakis.

AHI also raised concerns that Ambassador Jeffrey’s remarks were endorsed by State Department Spokesman Philip J. Crowley during a daily briefing on February 23, 2010.

“We look forward to hearing from you [Secretary Clinton] as to the clarification of these comments so as to set the record straight on the Administration’s policy regarding Cyprus and so that there can be no doubt as to the U.S. position that could be implied by the comments of Ambassador Jeffrey and supported by Mr. Crowley,” wrote Haralambides and Larigakis.

Also, AHI requested a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip H. Gordon to discuss this pressing matter and other issues as they relate to U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus.

Click here to view the letter to Secretary Clinton, or AHI’s statement on Ambassador Jeffrey’s remarks.

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.

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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.