AHI Executive Director Submits Testimony To House Appropriations Subcommittee On Foreign Operations

On May 9, 2002, the American Hellenic Institute's (AHI) Executive Director, Nick Larigakis, submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, calling on the U.S.:

1. to remain actively engaged in moving the Cyprus problem to a settlement based on UN resolutions, democratic principles, and EU legal principles and common practices, and to continue the $15 million in humanitarian aid to Cyprus;
2. to declare publicly that the boundary in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey has been long-settled and that if Turkey disagrees, Turkey should take the matter to the International Court of Justice at the Hague; and
3. to stop applying a double standard to Turkey on the rule of law, human rights, international and national state terrorism by Turkey in Cyprus and against its 20 percent Kurdish minority in Turkey.

Mr. Larigakis' testimony points out that U.S. support of Turkey's international state terrorism in Cyprus and Turkey's national state terrorism in Turkey against the Kurdish minority damages the U.S. fight against international terrorism aimed at the U.S.

Mr. Larigakis' testimony was submitted on behalf of leading membership organizations in the community, including: the American Hellenic Institute Public Affairs Committee (AHIPAC), the Hellenic American National Council (HANC), the Pan Macedonian Association of America, the Pan Cretan Association of America, the Hellenic American Women's Council (HAWC), the Cyprus Federation of America, the Pan Laconian Federation of U.S.A. and Canada, the Panepirotic Federation of America, and the Pan Karpathian Educational Progressive Association.

A copy of Mr. Larigakis' testimony is attached (click here). The exhibit to Mr. Larigakis' testimony is the 2002 edition of Greek American Policy Statements.

Due to a change in the agenda of the Appropriations Subcommittee, the hearing—scheduled for May 9, 2002—was cancelled and witnesses were asked to submit their testimony for the record.

For additional information, please contact Chrysoula Economopoulos at (202) 785-8430 or [email protected]. For general information regarding the activities of AHI, please view our website at https://www.ahiworld.org.