Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and California Congressman Howard Berman discusses the Cyprus issue with PSEKA President Philip Christopher and other members of the CEH.

Chairman of the House Europe Subcommittee, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) addresses the members of the panel.

AHC President Mike Galanakis and CEH President Andy Manatos with Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO03) and our local Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA33).

LOS ANGELES - 7/29/2009

The National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH) organized a two-day discussion forum in Washington D.C. on July 21 and 22 commemmorating the 35th Invasion of Cyprus by Turkey.

The American Hellenic Council was represented at the forum by its President, Mike Galanakis.

Over five hours of in-depth policy discussions with the five American officials in the Obama Administration, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who are charged by their branches of government to lead on the Cyprus issue took place.

CEH leaders released a statement saying, “Following our discussions with the Cyprus point people of the American government, we are pleased with America’s current understanding of the status of the Cyprus issue. We look forward to continuing to work with these officials to help assure that U.S. policy toward a Cyprus settlement is headed in a fair and positive direction.

The key US policymakers with whom CEH leaders had detailed discussions included:

• Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg (the second-ranking official at the Department of State)
• The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman (D-CA)
• The Chairman of the House Europe Subcommittee, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL)
• The Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry (D-MA)
• The Chair of the Senate European Affairs Subcommittee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

In addition, CEH leaders held an in-depth strategy session with Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the top advocate for Cyprus on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and close advisor of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

An additional 18 Members of the House and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Europe Subcommittee, attended CEH’s Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus held in the dining room of the Speaker of the House in the U.S. Capitol Building.

CEH board members also attended the U.S. Helsinki Commission’s Capitol Hill briefing titled “Cyprus’ Religious and Cultural Heritage in Peril.” This important event resulted from a commitment CEH leaders generated two years ago from the then-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL).

Besides AHC President Mike Galanakis, other CEH board members who participated in these meetings were: Philip Christopher, the President of PSEKA and the Pancyprian Association of America; Peter Papanicolaou, Supreme President, Cyprus Federation of America; Andrew A. Athens, Chairman, CEH and National Chairman, United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC); Andy Manatos, President, CEH; Tasos Zambas, Alternate President, PSEKA; Chairman, Justice Committee, Cyprus Federation of America; Endy Zemenides, Founding President, Hellenic American Leadership Council; Vice President, PSEKA; Zenon Christodoulou, Founding chair, NJ Hellenic American Heritage Commission; and CEH Executive Director Mike Manatos. CEH leaders brought with them to a number of these meetings the newly-elected Supreme President of AHEPA, Nick Karacostas, who they considered a great addition to these meetings.

Copyright - AHC 2009 & CEH 2009
For more information please contact: American Hellenic Council Director: Alexander Mizan 323-651-3507

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