AHEPA Supports Bilirakis’ Call for Constituent Involvement in
Direct Flights Issue to Northern Cyprus

WASHINGTON—The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA)
is answering the call of U.S. Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-9-FL) for
constituency involvement and activism on the issue of direct flights
from
the Republic of Turkey into northern, occupied Cyprus.

Supreme President Franklin R. Manios said, “Congressman Bilirakis has
done
his part to educate and warn his colleagues about the seriousness of the
issue and now it is our responsibility to mobilize our constituents to
do
the same. We look forward to learning more about the issue from the
congressman at our convention next week in Boston.”

According to Manios, AHEPA will stimulate the grassroots by:

* sending a direct mailing to chapters and key members of AHEPA that
will be
completed by next week,
* sending same mailing to Hellenic organizations asking them to act upon
it
and pass it along to their members and friends,
* providing a link from www.ahepa.org to Bilirakis’ news release about
the
issue,
* utilizing its electronic communications network to send Fact and
Background Sheets about the issue, and
* posting the Fact and Background Sheets on its Web site, www.ahepa.org
for
persons to download.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, three Members of Congress and one
congressional
staff member visited northern, occupied Cyprus (an illegal port of entry)
via a direct flight from Turkey. This act is inconsistent with
international law because it blatantly disregards the sovereignty of the
Republic of Cyprus. According to Manios, as many as 50 congressional
staff
members could embark on a visit during the August recess in the same
detrimental manner.

“We support and encourage visits by U.S. government personnel to
northern
Cyprus via proper means that respect the sovereignty of the Republic of
Cyprus,” said Manios. “However, these direct flights from Turkey into
the
north do not foster the most favorable environment for reconciliation
efforts.”

On July 8, 2005, Rep. Bilirakis and 33 of his colleagues in the House of
Representatives sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
requesting clarification of the U.S. Department of State’s role in
authorizing governmental travel to northern Cyprus. Sen. Olympia Snowe
(R-ME) has sent her own letter to the State Department as well.

“We praise Mr. Bilirakis’ initiative and thank his colleagues who signed
the
letter to Secretary Rice,” said Manios, who personally wrote to thank
two
congressmen from his home state of Ohio who signed the letter. “Further,
we
appreciate the efforts of Senator Snowe to seek the same clarification
of
policy.”

AHEPA will identify those Members of Congress who signed the letter to
Secretary Rice in its Scorecard for the 109th Congress.