AHI Welcomes White House Discussion on Greece

Calls for Policy Action to Spur Investment Opportunities in Greece

WASHINGTON, DC –The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) participated at a White House-hosted discussion on Greece at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on August 6, 2015.  AHI Legal Counsel Nicholas G. Karambelas, Esq., who is a partner in Sfikas & Karambelas LLP, represented AHI.

“We thank the Obama Administration for organizing this important and timely discussion on Greece’s current situation,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said. “By all accounts, it was a productive discussion.  We look forward to participating at future meetings and contributing our expertise to help the administration and the Greek American community reach its mutual goals in support of our longstanding ally and friend, Greece.”

Karambelas, who is an international trade expert, brought up items such as the need for a bilateral investment treaty between Greece and the United States. “We don’t have one,” he said in a post-discussion interview with The National Herald.  Karambelas added that the current tax treaty is obsolete. 

Also, Karambelas raised the prospect of utilizing the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), an independent United States government agency that “mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges” that helps to “advance U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives.” AHI was encouraged that administration officials had explored utilizing OPIC, but that more follow-up and perhaps legislative action is needed to secure the agency’s engagement.

In April, President Larigakis wrote to OPIC’s head, asking for the agency to organize an investment mission to Greece during this critical time.

“An OPIC Investment Mission to Greece could be the catalyst Greece needs and send a strong message of support from the United States,” Larigakis said at the time.

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 Georgea Polizos at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org and follow us on Twitter @TheAHIinDC.