Washington, DC.- By Apostolos Zoupaniotis

The 28^th Hellenic Leadership Conference (PSEKA) concluded here in Washington on Friday, with the over 100 participants, from the United States, Canada and UK pushing for the adaption of two resolutions by the U.S. Senate and the House of the Representatives, condemning the continuous demographic change in the occupied areas of Cyprus and the Turkish threats against the Republic of Cyprus. The conference started on Wednesday.

Delegates of the 28th PSEKA Conference in front of the US Capitol

On Thursday the delegates had the opportunity to meet with 30 Congressmen and nine Senators with whom they discussed the Cyprus problem and other national issues. However this year no meeting took place with a representative of the US Administration. Also present were members of the Canadian parliament.

The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Howard Berman, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, denounced Turkey’s policy on the Cyprus question, Ankara’s threats against Cyprus regarding its research for hydrocarbons in its Exclusive Economic Zone, and the influx of illegal Turkish settlers in the areas of Cyprus occupied since the 1974 Turkish invasion. (Their speeches are on pages 40 and 37).

Congressman Eliot Engel who submitted a bill to Congress against the presence of Turkish settlers and Turkish threats also spoke along the same lines.

Many members of Congress stressed the need for Turkey to accept a proposal by Cyprus President Demetris Christofias on the return of the fenced off area of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta (Varosha) under UN administration.

The Washington conference was also attended by a delegation of the occupied municipalities of Cyprus, comprising Famagusta Mayor and President of the Union of Occupied Municipalities Alexis Galanos, Kyrenia Mayor Glafos Kariolou and Lefkoniko Mayor Michalis Pilikos. The delegation had on June 4 and 5 meetings in New York and the United Nations as well with Greek and Cypriot organizations in New York. Moreover they presented during a conference a documentary on the destruction of Cyprus’ cultural heritage. In Washington they also held a meeting at the State Department with officials.

US Congressmen, speaking at the meeting, have denounced Turkey’s policy on Cyprus, urging Ankara to accept a proposal on the return of Varosha – now under Turkish occupation – to UN administration.

FIRST DAY

On Wednesday the delegates were briefed on developments in the Cyprus problem and in Greece by Cypriot Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou, the Ambassadors of Cyprus in Washington Pavrols Anastasiades and the UN Nicos Emiliou and the Greek Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis, whom the conference honoured for his long service to the Greek diplomatic service and Hellenism. The conference also honored the American Ambassador in Athens Daniel Smith.

In his speech Philip Christopher said the biggest danger for Cyprus comes from the influx of illegal Turkish settlers. He informed delegates about two resolutions, promoted before the US Congress and the Senate, which refer to the issue of illegal settlers and Turkish threats against the Republic of Cyprus and its sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone.

President of Cyprus Federation of America Panikos Papanikolaou referred to the close cooperation between the Federation and PSEKA as well as the goals of the Greek American community in view of the presidential elections in the US in November. He stressed that everyone should get involved in the candidates’ pre-election campaigns to help promote the cause of Cyprus.

President of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes Andy Manatos said members of the US Congress are kept informed about Cyprus and Greek national issues through the efforts of the leadership of the Greek American community in Washington.

Manatos stressed Cyprus would be in a very unfavourable position without the efforts of Greek American organizations in the US, noting that the Turkish lobby is spending a lot of money and organizes visits of US politicians to Ankara, while making financial contributions for US politicians.

The conference was also addressed by American Hellenic Institute President Nick Larigakis, World Council of Hellenes Abroad US Coordinator Theodoros Spyropoulos and Pan Macedonian Association USA President Costas Hadjistephanides. Moreover representatives of UK Lobby for Cyprus, Cypriots in Florida and Detroit, and the President of the United Hellenic American Congress referred to the activities of their organizations.

Greek Ambassador to the US Vassilis Kaskarellis and US Ambassador in Athens Daniel Smith were honoured at a lunch hosted during the first day of the conference.

Kaskarellis underlined that today Greece needs to make major reforms without any delay in order to overcome its financial problems. He noted that Greece must have a stable and strong government to safeguard its interests and the interests of Cyprus, to change its image, restore its reliability and have a strong voice in the EU, NATO and the UN.

In an address, delivered by Kathlin Alegron US State Department Southern Europe Director, the US Ambassador in Athens said that Greeks are having a hard time, but have overcome even more challenges in the past. “I have been impressed by the courage and determination of the Greeks and I have conveyed to them our hope that Greece will come out of the crisis even stronger and with a more powerful economy,” he added.

Cypriot Ambassador in Washington Pavlos Anastasiades said that only a united, free, independent and sovereign Cyprus can serve the strategic interests of the US in the region, while the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Nicos Emiliou referred to the Cyprus problem, saying the Turkish Cypriot side maintains a negative stance at the UN-led negotiations aiming at a solution in Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. Emiliou said that that the Turkish side is promoting two separate entities in Cyprus. As regards hydrocarbon reserves discovered in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone, he said they create common interests with the US.

GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN

In spite of difficulties and obstacles, the government will continue the struggle to bring justice to Cyprus, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said in his address to the conference.

He referred to a plan “B” which Turkey has put in place, which provides for increased efforts to gain recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime and create tension through the use of threats either with regard to natural gas exploration within Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or the Cyprus EU Council rotating Presidency, due to begin on July 1.

The plan seeks to create a deadlock in the negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem, so that Turkey can achieve the derailing of the talks from the framework of the agreed procedure and the agreed basis for a solution, which is a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

“To face Turkish machinations, the government has undertaken very intensive steps, both in the direction of the UN as well as in the direction of the EU, but also toward other international organizations, denouncing Turkey’s threats and provocations against Cyprus and exposing its illegal actions”, he noted.

Stefanou further said that “with the well-formulated and targeted policy the Government has followed, it has been possible not only to move beyond Turkey’s threats, but also to proceed in the implementation of our plans, having the entire international community on our side”.

“Acting always within the framework of international legality, the government will continue to implement the plans that it has formulated on the energy issues”.

Referring to Turkey’s threats to freeze relations with the EU during Cyprus’ EU Council rotating Presidency, the Spokesman highlighted the fact that “with this behaviour, the only thing that Turkey achieves is to cause even more problems than those it already faces in its accession process to the EU”.

The Republic of Cyprus, he stressed, “will exercise the presidency of the Council of the EU with impartiality, and will operate as an honest broker, in order to achieve agreement on important issues that affect the present and the future of Europe”.

“With regard to the procedure, we had agreed that it is of Cypriot ownership and leadership, something that means that it is the two sides that decide how they manage the process”, he pointed out, referring to the negotiations which resumed in 2008. He added that “it was decided that the procedure does not provide for arbitration and stringent timetables”.

He highlighted the importance of the clarification on procedure particularly during this period, when, as he noted, “the Turkish side tries to derail the procedure through various obstructions and by maintaining a negative stance in the negotiations”.

“It is obvious that Turkey does not seek the reunification of Cyprus, but pursues a solution of two states, a solution of partition”, he stressed.

Stefanou said that Turkey’s policy “is being addressed effectively through our persistence and our consistency with regard to the resolutions on Cyprus and the basis of a solution that they provide”.

He also referred to tactics applied by the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu at the negotiating table, which raise obstacles to the peace effort, saying he has backtracked from convergences achieved by his predecessor Mehmet Ali Talat.

In addition, he noted, “the Turkish side refuses to continue the negotiations, whereas the UN, like the Greek Cypriot side, has made it clear that they want the continuation of the process”.

“In view of this situation, the United Nations – and the international community in general – must turn with persistence and decisiveness towards Turkey, and demand from Turkey to cooperate for a solution based on the UN resolutions”.

He reiterated the Greek Cypriot side’s readiness for “the continuation of the negotiations, even during the time of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU”.

“The Turkish side is trying to push for a four-party or a five-party conference without agreement on the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem, so that it can succeed in closing the problem rather than solving it”, he said.

On the other hand, he pointed out, “the Greek Cypriot side tries to maintain and to continue the momentum for a solution, by reintroducing the proposal with regard to Famagusta, which the President of the Republic of Cyprus first put forward in the summer of 2010”.

The proposal provides for the simultaneous opening of the port of Famagusta under the control of the EU and the return of the fenced off part of the city of Famagusta (Varosha) to its lawful residents under the auspices of the UN.

“Both the UN and the EU have an incentive to work for the promotion and the realization of the proposal”, he noted.

The Cypriot Spokesman also thanked overseas Cypriots and Hellenes Abroad for their tireless efforts and their support of the government to find a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus issue.

OTHER WORKS

During the Conference, SAE president emeritus and founder of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, Andrew Athens, was honored for his tireless. 90 year old Athens promised to continue fighting for Cyprus and other Hellenic issues until his last breath. The award was presented by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin.

Among the senators the spoke at the session were Bob Menendez, Jeanne Shaheen, Ben Cardin, Barbra Mikulski, Sheldon Whitehouse etc.

The conference honored at a formal dinner Chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus, the American Jewish Committee (Jason Isaacson’s speech on page 35) , and Greek Cypriot businessmen Nicos Mougiaris and Dinos Iordanou.