AHI Statement: Reject the Turkish Caucus-led Congressional Letter on Restart of Cyprus Negotiations 

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) has issued the following statement with regard to a congressional letter being circulated in the U.S. House of Representatives by co-chairs of the Turkish Caucus, U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and U.S. Rep. Stephen Cohen (D-TN) that attempts to generate congressional support for the restart of Cyprus settlement negotiations due to the current state of Cyprus’s economic condition:

“The American Hellenic Institute deplores the congressional initiative spearheaded by the Turkish Caucus to generate congressional support for a letter to be sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon that utilizes the context of Cyprus’s economic crisis as the basis to renew negotiations for a Cyprus settlement.

“AHI rejects any attempt to use Cyprus’s current economic condition as a means of forcing the restart of negotiations or imposing a settlement upon the people of Cyprus.  In fact, we welcome legislation just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Gus Bilirakis that expresses this position.  

“AHI discourages U.S. representatives from signing on to the Whitfield-Cohen letter, and instead, support Congressman Bilirakis’ resolution.  AHI furthermore encourages the Greek and Cypriot American communities to convey their disagreement with the Whitefield-Cohen letter to their U.S. representatives.”

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank 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 Georgea Polizos 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.