WASHINGTON, DC, May 23, 2023 – The most consequential foreign policymakers in the United States Congress from both parties participated in the 38th Annual Cyprus and Hellenic Leadership Conference May 9-11 as over 100 Cypriot and Greek-American leaders converged on Capitol Hill. The conference was hosted by PSEKA and its President Philip Christopher and co-hosted by many of the top national Greek-American organizations including: AHEPA, AHI, CEH, HALC, FCAO, HANC and the US-Cyprus Chamber of Commerce. The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides was represented at this important conference by Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
Summary
Both the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and James Risch (R-ID), and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressmen Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), addressed conference participants and turned the focus on Cyprus for a day.
In addition, the Chairs of the Senate and House Europe Subcommittees, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Congressman Thomas Kean (R-NJ), the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), and the Chairman of the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) met with conference participants.
The highest-ranking Democratic officials in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also spoke, along with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Senate Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL).
Former Chairs of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) also spoke at length with conference participants during their panel, The Cyprus Issue – Then and Now.
These leaders from both parties and branches of Congress were joined by dozens of their Senate and House colleagues who are key to the formulation of U.S. policy on Cyprus, Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate and spent numerous hours speaking about and listening to the many elements that demonstrate Cyprus’s importance to the United States.
Biden Administration
From the Biden Administration, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan received the “soil award.” Because his international trip was extended, he was not able to return to Washington in time to attend the conference. He plans to soon meet with a delegation of community leaders to receive this award. In addition, the State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Erika Olson, Director and Deputy Director for Southern European Affairs, Joshua Huck and David Galbraith, as well as Deputy to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden, Jeff Prescott attended.
At the Conference dinner U.S. Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis was honored with the Athens/Livanos Award, while Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Jessica Lewis was honored with the Frizis Award. Former Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman, former US Ambassador to Greece Tom Miller, and former Assistant Secretary of State Marie Royce also attended.
Cyprus and Greece Governments
Greece was represented by its Ambassador to the U.S. Alexandra Papadopoulou whose impactful work in Washington, DC over the last three years has been instrumental to the strength of US-Greece relations.
Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, in addressing US policymakers and conference participants said:
The potential of a united Cyprus – as a normal and functional state – without anachronistic guarantees and without an occupying force – is limitless. A free and reunified Cyprus could play an even greater role in promoting peace and stability in the region.
The United States has begun to acknowledge this potential and given Cyprus a vote of confidence. Our bilateral relationship, built on a shared vision of security, stability, peace, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean, is at a historic high…
With your help, we can discover opportunities to further expand our bilateral relationship…
While we persist in our diplomatic and political efforts, we ask of you to continue your advocacy and your tireless work to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Cyprus. Relations with the US are certainly at the core of our foreign policy, which has a clear orientation. Let us demonstrate that Cyprus is one of the most reliable democratic partners to the US….
The suffering of the Ukrainian people is no different to what Cypriots are experiencing in the last 49 years, with thousands of refugees still waiting to return to their homes and people still searching for the fate of their loved ones….
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus recognizes your great and selfless love for our homeland- for our Cyprus- and your deep investment in ending the occupation and reunifying our country…
I know that 49 years are way too many. But spare no efforts and keep your faith.
In addition to Letymbiotis, Cyprus was represented by its Ambassador to the U.S. Marios Lysiotis who was honored for his exemplary service to Cyprus over the last four years in Washington, DC and for his close work with community leaders in promoting justice for Cyprus.
US Congress
While a remarkable 39 US Senators and Members of Congress met with conference participants, equally as important was the powerful positions they hold in the US Congress. They included:
In the US House of Representatives:
Leadership
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Assistant Majority Whip Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY)
Assistant Democratic Whip Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) – and likely next US Senator from DE
Foreign Affairs Committee
Chairman, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX)
Ranking Member, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
Chair, Europe Subcommittee, Rep. Thomas Kean (R-NJ)
Europe Subcommittee, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)
Chair, Global Human Rights Subcommittee, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL)
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Rep. Young Kim (R-CA)
Appropriations Committee
Former Chair/Ranking Member, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Chair, State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY)
State Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Rep. Jerry Carl (R-AL)
Armed Services Committee
Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ)
Other key policymakers
Co-Chair, Hellenic Caucus / Co-Chair, Hellenic Israeli Alliance, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
Co-Chair, Hellenic Caucus, Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Co-Chair, Congressional Hellenic Israeli Alliance, Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI)
Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD)
Ranking Member, House Energy Committee, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Chair, National Intelligence Subcommittee, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Co-Chair, Human Rights Commission, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Ranking Member, Counterterrorism Subcommittee, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI)
Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Rob Menendez, Jr. (D-NJ)
Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA)
Intelligence Committee Member, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT)
In the US Senate:
Leadership
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Senate Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Foreign Relations Committee
Chairman, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Ranking Member, Senator James Risch (R-ID)
Chair, Europe Subcommittee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Chair, East Asia, Pacific & International Cybersecurity Policy Subcommittee, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Chair, State Department, Bilateral International Development Subcommittee, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Chair, Near East, South & Central Asia Subcommittee, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Armed Services Committee
Chairman, Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
Senator Dick Blumenthal (D-CT)
Honorees
Those honored at the conference included:
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan [Soil Award]
US Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis [GP/Livanos Award]
Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Jessica Lewis [Frizis Award]
Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee Mike McCaul (R-TX) [Soil Award]
Chair, Senate Europe Subcommittee, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) [Barbed Wire Award]
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) [James Williams Award]
House Assistant Majority Whip Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) [Barbed Wire Award]
Co-Chair, Hellenic Caucus, Congressman Chris Pappas [Mouyiaris/GP Award]
Co-Chair, Congressional Hellenic Israeli Alliance (CHIA), Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI)
Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Congressman Chris Pappas, Jake Friedman [Conalis-Kontou Award]
Ambassador of Cyprus to the US Marios Lysiotis
Community Leaders
Over 100 Cypriot and Greek-American leaders from across the country attended, including the leadership of the following organizations:
President, International Coordinating Committee – Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA), Philip Christopher
Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH), Andrew E. Manatos
President, Manatos & Manatos, Mike Manatos
Supreme President, American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), Jimmy Kokotas
President, American Hellenic Institute (AHI), Nick Larigakis
Executive Director, Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), Endy Zemenides
Executive Vice President, Federation of Cypriot-American Organizations (FCAO), Nikos Pafitis
Immediate Past President, Hellenic American National Council (HANC), Paul Kotrotsios
President, Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce, Maria Pappas
Delaware State Senator, Spiros Mantzavinos
Commissioner, Greater Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Mariyana Spyropoulos
Supreme Secretary, AHEPA, Savas Tsivicos
Board Chairman, AHEPA, Nick Karacostas
Board Vice-Chairman/Past Supreme President, AHEPA, George Horiates
President, Canadian Order of AHEPA, Emmanuel Constas
Executive Director, AHEPA, Basil Mossaidis
Executive Director, Daughters of Penelope, Elena Saviolakis
Alternate President, PSEKA, Tasos Zambas
Founding President & Honorary Chairman, Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce, Andreas Comodromos
Executive Director, Cyrus-US Chamber of Commerce, Despina Axiotakis
Treasurer, Pancyprian Association of America, Chris Skevas
President, American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF), Leon Andris
Legal Counselor, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Peter Kakoyiannis
General Secretary, Hellenic American National Council (HANC), Panagiotis Baltatzis
President, NEPOMAK, Andrew Lambiris
President, Friends of Cyprus USA, Panayiotis Michael
President, Pancyprian Association of Washington, DC, Dino Miltiadou
President, Pancyprian Association of Florida, Varnavas Zagaris
Vice President, Cyprus Society of Greater Philadelphia, Stelios Tsinontides
Vice President, Federation of Cypriot American Organizations, Chris Nicolaou
President, Asgata Association, Peter Louca
President, Cyprus Children’s Fund, Nicos Zittis
Federation of Hellenic Societies of Florida, Peter Theophanous
Overseas Representatives
Consul General of Cyprus in New York, Michalis Firillas
Defense Attaché, Embassy of Greece, Colonel Panagiotis Vlachopoulos
Mayor of Kythrea, Cyprus, Petros Kareklas
Mayor of Akanthou, Cyprus, Eleni Hadjimichail
Honorary Consul of Cyprus in Atlanta, Polyxeni Potter
Honorary Consul of Cyprus in Chicago, Michael Dovellos
Union of Occupied Communities of Famagusta Region, Panagiotis Hadjipantelis
Occupied Communities Committee, Eleftherios Antoniou
Representative of Cypriot Maronites, Maria Kokkinou
Lobby for Cyprus United Kingdom, George Mouktaris
Lobby for Cyprus United Kingdom, Theo Theodorou
Daughter of missing US citizen and WW II veteran Kyriacos Leontiou, Maria Leontiou
SOURCE; PSEKA
