List of Issues

The following issues facing the United States are of particular concern to Greek Americans. They are listed in alphabetical order as follows:

• Aegean
• Albania
• Armenia
• Arms Sales
• Cyprus
• Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Halki Patriarchal School of Theology
• Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
• Greece
• Kurds
• Turkey Policy Statements

Positions herein are based in each case on the question of what is in the best interest of the United States.

Aegean

1. We call on the U.S. Government to recognize the islet of Imia as Greek in accordance with the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, under which the Dodecanese Islands and adjacent islets were ceded by Italy to Greece, the 1932 Italy-Turkey agreements which clearly stated that Imia belonged to Italy, the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, and international law. On February 15, 1996 the European Parliament passed a resolution (342 to 21 with 11 abstentions) stating the isle of Imia belongs to Greece and condemned Turkey's aggressive threats to established sovereignty in the Aegean. In a February 1, 1996 statement to Greece, Italy supported the Greek legal position regarding the 1932 Italy-Turkey Protocol. Also, on February 7, 1996 France said that it unequivocally recognized Greece's sovereignty over the Imia islets.
2. We condemn Turkey's recent threats on Greece's national sovereignty over the Islet of Imia in the Aegean.
3. We condemn Turkey's threats of war against Greece in the Aegean regarding Greece's internationally recognized right to extend its' territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles, and note that Turkey itself has exercised this right by extending its territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. The United States has also extended its territorial waters to 12 miles. The Turkish Grand National Assembly passed a resolution on June 8, 1995, authorizing the Turkish government to use force if Greece extended its territorial waters to 12 miles.
4. We note that Turkish threats of war and the June 8, 1995 resolution are violations of the United Nations Charter, Article 2 paragraph 4, which states: "An members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."
5. We call an the U.S. Government in its own self interest, to make a formal protest of Turkey's threats of war (causa belli) made on a number of occasions regarding the Aegean.
6. We support recourse to the International Court of Justice at the Hague for a resolution of legal issues under the Law of the Sea Convention.

Albania

1. We condemn the campaign of the Albanian government to drive out of the country the Greek Orthodox minority by denying and restricting the full legal, educational, religious and employment rights the minority by international signed by Albania.
2. We condemn the efforts of the Albanian government to persecute Greek Orthodox Christians in the country by restricting the Orthodox Autocephalus Church of Albania, and denying its leader, Archbishop Anastasios, legal status. We call on Tirana to return to the Church all property, sacred religious articles and records seized by the former Stalinist regime and still being held.
3. We condemn the Albanian government for trying to restrict the right of ethnic Greeks in Albania to learn and study their mother tongue, and we call on Tirana to authorize the establishment of minority schools, both public and private and to offer Greek language instruction in existing schools at all grade levels and in all areas where there are Greek communities and not just in arbitrarily designated "minority zones".
4. We condemn the harassment and forced resignations of ethnic Greeks in public service and call on Tirana to offer equal opportunity in the armed forces, the police, the judiciary and in public administration to all minorities.
5. We condemn the Albanian government for instigating hate campaigns in the press against the Greek minority and call on Tirana to allow meaningful access to the minority to all state media.
6. We condemn the efforts of the Albanian government to restrict the right of all Albanian citizens to declare whatever ethnic identity they wish, and call for an internationally supervised census to measure the size of all ethnic and religious minorities in Albania like the one held in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia at the insistence of Tirana to determine the size of the Albanian minority there.
7. We call on the United States government, in its own interest and the interest of maintaining peace and stability in the southern Balkans, to halt all assistance to Albania, of whatever nature, until all issues of the rule of law and human rights cited above are resolved.

Armenia

1. We believe it is in the interests of the United States to insist that the Turkish government lift its blockade of Armenia.
2. We support S. 578 introduced on March 20, 1995 by Senator Al D'Amato for himself and Senator Pressler as well as the companion bill in the House H.R 1274 introduced on March 21, by Congressman Rob Andrews (D-NJ) for himself and Representatives Bilirakis (R-FL), Maloney (D-NY), Manton (D-NY) and Zimmer (R-NJ), which call, among other things, on the United States to halt all assistance to Turkey, of whatever nature, until Turkey lifts its illegal blockade of Armenia.
3. We believe it is in the interests of the United States to recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and to urge Turkey to do the same.
4. We support H.Con.Res. 47 introduced by Congressman David Bonior (D-MI) and Peter Blute (R-MA), which calls for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
5. We commend Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) and Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ) for their introduction of bills known as "The Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act." That act was passed by the Congress and signed into law as part of the 1996 Foreign Aid Bill. That act calls for the halt in U.S. Econonic and Military Assistance to any country blocking U.S. assistance to another country and consequently includes the Turkish blockade of U.S. assistance to Armenia.
6. We strongly disagree with President Clinton's waiver, on national security grounds of the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act As it applies to Turkey. The application of this waiver is contrary to the national security interests of the United States.

Arms Sales

1. We oppose any sale of advanced U.S. weapons to the Turkish Government as contrary to the best interests of the U.S.
2. We oppose the sale of 10 U.S. "Super Cobra" helicopters to Turkey due to the documented evidence by the U.S. State Department, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, of the use of these helicopters by Turkey against its Kurdish citizens (including the loss of civilian life and destruction of villages) in Southeastern Turkey. We call for an immediate halt in negotiations for the sale of such "Super Cobra" helicopters.
3. We believe the sale of 120 ATACMS missiles to Turkey is contrary to the best interests of the U.S. and call for a halt in the delivery of such missiles.
4. We believe the continued sale of such weapons jeopardizes the balance of military power between Greece and Turkey and threatens regional stability.
5. We support S.326 and H.R. 772, "The Code of Conduct on Arms Transfer Act" introduced by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Mark Hatfield (R-OR) and Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), respectively on February 1, 1995. The legislation would condition arms exports on certain minimum good behavior, basic respect for human rights, non-aggression, democratic form of governance, and participation in the U.N. register of Conventional Arms.

Cyprus

1. We support the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus.
2. We support for Cyprus a constitutional democracy based on majority rule, the rule of law, the protection of minority rights and the provision for and implementation of the three basic freedoms, namely, freedom of movement, of owneripip and of settlement.
3. We condemn Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash for his admission that members of the Turkish Cypriot militia, which was and is today under his control, in 1974 killed all the missing 1614 Greek Cypriots and 5 Americans in their custody.
4. We call on the U.S. Government to charge Rauf Denktash with war crimes against American citizens and others and to issue a warrant for his arrest.
5. We call for an International War Crimes Tribunal to charge Rauf Denktash, as leader of the Turkish Cypriot Militia in 1974, with war crimes and to issue a warrant for his arrest and submission to a War Crimes Tribunal.
6. We call on the U.S. Government to thoroughly investigate the validity of the Denktash statement and determine the whereabouts of the bodies of the victims. The U.S. government must demand that Turkey return the bodies of the 5 missing Americans who were abducted by the Turkish invasion forces and the Turkish Cypriot militia in 1974 and the 1614 Greek Cypriots who have been missing since the Turkish invasion.
7. We call for:

   a) the removal of all Turkish troops including Turkey's illegal occupation forces from Cyprus;
   b) the removal of all illegal Turkish colonists from Cyprus and a census of the illegal Turkish colonists under UN auspices;
   c) the restoration to their original condition of the churches illegally converted to mosques in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention;
   d) the return to the government of Cyprus under United Nations auspices the occupied area of Famagusta/Varosha for the immediate resettlement of displaced persons.

8. We call on the United States in its own self-interest to halt all assistance to Turkey, of whatever nature, until the issues cited above are resolved.
9. We support S. 578 introduced on March 20, 1995 by Senator Al D'Amato for himself and Senator Pressler as well as the companion bill in the House H.R 1274 introduced on March 21, by Congressman Rob Andrews (D-NJ) for himself and Representatives Bilirakis (R-FL), Maloney (D-NY), Manton (D-NY) and Zimmer (R-NJ), which call, among other things, for conditions on all aid to Turkey.
10. We call for economic sanctions against Turkey until all the conditions in S. 578 and H.R. 1274 are met.

Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Halki Patriarchal School of Theology

1. We condemn the chronic persecution of Orthodox Christians in Turkey, the harassment of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the attacks of the Patriarchate in Istanbul, including the attempted bombing of the Patriarchate in 1994.
2. We condemn the desecration of Christian Orthodox cemeteries in Istanbul.
3. We condemn the inflammatory remarks of the fundamentalist Mayor of the Faith District of Istanbul where the Patriarchate is located, who declared to the press on March 31, 1994 following his election, that under his mayorship all "activities" of the Patriarchate will stop. He also announced his intention to enter the Ecumenical Patriarchate through its main gate under which, in 1821, the Ecumenical Patriarch Gregorius V was hanged and which remains closed since then.
4. We condemn the restrictions recently imposed by the Turkish Government on the celebrations of the Saint Nicholas Festival, a saint worshipped by Christians throughout the world.
5. We call on the U.S. government to protest these actions and to call on the government of Turkey: a) to ensure religious freedom in Turkey; b) to provide for the proper protection of the Patriarchate; c) to provide for the proper protection of the Ecumenical Patriarch; d) to establish conditions which would prevent the reoccurrence of threats against the Patriarch and "to ensure that the Patriarchate is free to carry out its mission;" e) to permit persons to work at the Patriarchate without being Turkish citizens.
6. We condemn the illegal closing by the Turkish government in 1971 of the Halki Patriarchal School of Theology, which closing is also in violation of Turkey's obligations under the UN and other international agreements and call on the United States government to make a formal request to Turkey to reopen the Halki Patriarchal School. We call for the halt of all aid to Turkey until the Halki Patriarchal School is reopened.
7. We support S.Con.Res. 25 introduced by Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL) on August 11, 1995 and H. Con.Res. 50 introduced on March 28, 1995 by Congressman Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) for himself and Congressman George Gekas (R-PA) which calls on the United States to use its influence with the Turkish government and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to suggest that the Turkish government:

   a) 1. ensure the proper protection for the Patriarchate and all Orthodox faithful residing in Turkey; 2. reopen the Halki Patriarchal School of Theology; 3. provide for the proper protection and safety of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarchate personnel; 4. establish conditions that would prevent the reoccurrence of past terrorist activities and vandalism and other personal threats against the Patriarch; 5. establish conditions to ensure that the Patriarchate is free to carry out its religious mission; and 6. to do everything possible to find and punish the perpetrators of any provocative and terrorist acts against the Patriarchate.

   b) The Administration should report to the Congress the status and progress of the concerns in subsection A on an annual basis.

8. We support S. 578 introduced on March 20, 1995 by Senator Al D'Amato for himself and Senator Pressler as well as the companion bill in the House H.R. 1274 introduced on March 21, by Congressman Rob Andrews (D-NJ) for himself and Representatives Bilirakis (R-FL), Maloney (D-NY), Manton (D-NY) and Zimmer (R-NJ), which call, among other things, on the United States to halt all assistance to Turkey, of whatever nature until Turkey removes official restrictions on Christian churches and schools and protects Christian clergy and property from acts of violence.

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

1. We support H.Con.Res. 31 introduced in the House by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Mike Bilirakis (R-FL) which expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. should support the efforts of Greece, in its negotiations with the FYROM, to find a solution which promotes a solid, cooperative relationship between these two neighboring countries.
2. We call on the United States, in its own self interest, to support a name for the Skopje regime which does not include the word "Macedonia."
3. We believe that Macedonia is of solely Greek origin. Its use in Ancient Greece as the Kingdom of Macedonia of Philip II and Alexander the Great, denoted a region, not a nationality.

Greece

1. We call on the United States to develop a "special relationship" with Greece as it has with Great Britain and Israel. It is in the interests of the United States to do so. Greece is the strategic key to the Eastern Mediterranean and the key nation in the Balkans for the advancement of U.S. strategic, democratic, economic and stability interests in the Balkans.
2. Greece is a proven ally who played a crucial role in the defeat of Hitler in World War II and a historic turning point role in the defeat of communism. Greece, Great Britain, and France are the only nations who were allies of the U.S. in four wars this century.
3. The main security threat to Greece is Turkey. Foreign military aid to Greece should be sufficient to deter aggression from Turkey and at a minimum to ensure a military balance in accordance with congressional policy and the U. S.-Greece Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Kurds

1. We believe it is in the best interests of the United States to support: (a) full political and human rights for the Kurdish minorities in Turkey and Iraq; and (b) a federated status for the Kurds in Turkey and Iraq.
2. We believe a federated status for the Kurds in Turkey and Iraq will bring greater stability to the area and greater prospects for democracy and economic progress in the area and region.
3. We call for the immediate halt by the government of Turkey of its military and paramilitary operations (with the use of U.S. designed and produced weapons) against the Kurdish minority and its massive violations of the human rights of its Kurdish minority which is genocidal in nature.
4. We cite the recent reports by the U.S. State Department, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International which highlight Turkey's use of U.S. weapons in committing human rights violations against its Kurdish citizens.
5. We call for the United States to pressure Turkey to apply the same rights to its Kurdish minority as it demands for the Turkish Cypriot minority.
6. We call the United States in its own self-interest to halt all assistance to Turkey, of whatever nature, until Turkey ceases its military and paramilitary operations and its massive human rights violations against Kurdish minority.
7. We support S. 578 introduced on March 20, 1995 by Senator Al D'Amato for himself and Senator Pressler as well as the companion bill in the House H.R. 1274 introduced on March 21, by Congressman Rob Andrews (D-NJ) for and Representatives Bilirakis (R-FL) Maloney (D-NY), Manton (D-NY) and Zimmer (R-NJ), which call among other things, on the United States to halt all assistance to Turkey, of whatever nature, until Turkey ceases any military action towards and recognize the rights of its 15,000,000 Kurdish citizens.

Turkey Policy Statements

1. We believe that Turkey's continuing violations of law and its unreliability as an ally, both amply documented, require a critical review of United States-Turkey relations. Such a review is long overdue. We call for a reversal of the Defense Department's views regarding Turkey so forth in the summer of 1995 in its planning paper called "Security Strategy for Europe and NATO" as unsupportable by evidence, logic, or history, and contrary to the best interests of the U.S.
2. Turkey's numerous and continuing violations of United States laws, the United Nations Charter, the North Atlantic Treaty and international law by its continuing aggression in and occupation of Cyprus, its illegal shipment of arms to the Azerbaijanis and to the Balkans, its threats against Greece in the Aegean and Western Thrace and its massive and horrendous human rights violations against its Kurdish citizens, must not be tolerated or condoned any longer. The appeasement of Turkey's violations of law must end. The application of a double standard on the rule of law and human rights to Turkey must end.
3. It is clear that Turkey is the main source of instability in the region.
4. Turkey has publicly stated that its goal is to be the "regional superpower from the Adriatic to the Wall of China." It is not in the interests of the United States, Israel and the Arab countries in the Middle East to have Turkey, or anyone else, as a regional superpower in the middle East.
5. We call for a halt in all aid to Turkey and economic sanctions against Turkey until:

Turkey allows free and unfettered monitoring of the human rights environment within its territory by domestic and international human rights monitoring organizations, including, but not limited to, the Turkish Human Rights Association, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch.