AHI Submits Testimony to House Appropriations Subcommittee on FY2013 Foreign Aid to Southeastern Europe, Eastern Mediterranean

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) submitted testimony to the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs on the Obama Administration’s foreign aid proposals for FY2013 on April 24, 2012.

In the best interests of the United States, AHI’s testimony opposed:

1. any military assistance the administration will request for Turkey until Turkey removes its troops and illegal Turkish settlers in Cyprus;
2. aid the administration will request for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM); and
3. any reduction that might be introduced in the aid levels for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

In addition, the testimony strongly opposed the continued reduction of Economic Support Fund (ESF) funding for Cyprus. The FY2013 proposed level of funding is $3.2 million. However, AHI testified that it supports continued ESF funding for Cyprus as long as it is tied exclusively to bi-communal projects of the island as mandated by U.S. law. The law states U.S. funds are to support only “measures aimed at reunification.”

“It is vital to ensure the Greek American community’s positions on American foreign aid to this region are submitted for the public record via the Subcommittee’s acceptance of written testimony,” said President Nick Larigakis, who submitted the testimony. “We thank the Subcommittee for the opportunity to submit our testimony which is presented with the best interest of the United States in mind.”

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs is chaired by U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX). U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) is the ranking member.

To read AHI’s testimony, please click here. (691KB PDF)

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

###

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