AHI asks US Congress to oppose military assistance to Turkey

The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) submitted testimony on Friday to the appropriations subcommittee on state, foreign operations, and related programs of the House of Representatives over the Trump administration’s foreign aid proposals for 2019.

In its testimony, AHI called on Congress to oppose any military assistance the administration will request for Turkey until the country withdraws all of its troops and Turkish settlers from Cyprus and ceases its provocations and aggression in the Aegean.

It also said it is against any changes to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) that would prevent it from doing business in Greece – a policy shift achieved in 2016 due to the country's economic crisis.

AHI also said the House should not provide financial aid to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) until the country has reached a mutually acceptable solution in its name row with Greece.

The Institution finally cautioned against any reduction in the aid levels for the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus.

It also applauded the funding of Greece's International Military Education and Training (IMET) program for 2018 totaling one million dollars and recommended an increased 1.2 million dollars for 2019.

“It is vital to ensure the Greek American community’s positions on American foreign aid to this increasingly vital region are submitted for the public record via the subcommittee’s acceptance of written testimony,” President Nick Larigakis, who authored the testimony, said.

To read the full testimony, click here.