Resolution
110th Congress, 1st Session
In the House of Representatives
Resolution
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) should stop the utilization of materials that violate provisoins of the United Nations-brokered Interim Agreement between the FYROM and Greece regarding "hostile activities or propaganda" and should work with the United Nations and Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals of finding a mutually-acceptable official name for the FYROM.
Whereas on April 8, 1993, the United Nations General Assembly admitted as a member of the Former Yugloslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), under the name the "Former Yugloslav Republic of Macedonia";
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 817 (1993) states that the dispute over the name must be resolved to maintain peaceful relations between Greece and the FYROM;
Whereas on September 13, 1995, Greece and the FYROM signed a United Nations-brokered Interim Accord that, among other things, commits them to not "support claims to any part of the territory of the other party or claims for a change of their existing frontiers";
Whereas a pre-eminent goal of the United Nations Interim Accord was to stop the FYROM from utilizing, since its admittance to the United Nations in 1993, what the Accord calls, "propaganda," including in school textbooks;
Whereas a television report in recent years showed students in a state-run school in the FYROM still being taught that parts of Greece, including Greek Macedonia, are rightfully part of the FYROM:
Whereas some textbooks, including the Military Academy textbook published in 2004 by the Military Academy "General Mihailo Apostolski" in the FYROM capital city, contain maps showing that a "Greater Macedonia" extends many miles south into Greece to Mount Olympus and miles east to Mount Pirin in Bulgaria;
Whereas in direct contradiction of the spirit of the United Nations Interim Accord's section "A," entitled "Friendly Relations and Confidence Building Measures," which attempts to eliminate challenges regarding "historic and cultural patrimony," the Government of FYROM recently renamed the capital city's international airport "Alexander the Great";
Whereas the aforementioned acts constitute a breach of the FYROM's international obligations deriving from the spirit of the United Naitons Interim Acord, which provides that FYROM should abstain from any form of "propaganda" against Greece's historical or cultural heritage;
Whereas such acts are not compatible with the Article 10 of the United Nations Interim Accord regarding "improving understanding and good neighborly relations," as well as with European standards and values endorsed by European Union member-states; and
Whereas this information, like that exposed in the media report and elsewhere, being used contrary to the United Nations Interim Accord instills hostility and a rationale for irredentism in portions of the populations of the FYROM toward Greece and the history of Greece: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
urges the Former Yugoslave Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to observe its obligations under Article 7 of the 1995 United Nations-brokered Interim Accord which directs the parties to "promptly take effective measures to prohibit hostile activities or propaganda by state-controlled agencies and to discourage acts by private entities likely to incite violence, hated or hostility" and review the contents of textbooks, maps, and teaching aids to ensure that such tools are stating accurate information; and
urges the FYROM to work within the framework of the United Nations process with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals by reacing a mutually-acceptable official name for the FYROM.
U.S. House of Reps FYROM Resolution
Representative Zack Space Joins Hellenic Caucus
Press Releases
Washington, DC—Below please find the announcement of Representative Zack Space (D-OH) joining the Hellenic Caucus.
- Caucus focuses on key issues in Greece and the Aegean-
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Zack Space (D-OH), whose family immigrated to the United States from Greece two generations ago, announced his membership in the Congressional Hellenic Caucus today.
Space's grandparents immigrated to the United States from the north Aegean island of Ikaria in the early 20th century.
The Caucus, which was formed in 1996 by Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and former Representative Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), strives to improve and sustain the United States' relations with Greece. The Caucus focuses on diplomatic, military, and human rights issues regarding Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.
"The issues that concern Greece are of enormous importance to me," Space said. "I look forward to working with the other members of the Caucus to make sure that we in Congress address issues that are critical to Greece and to the hundreds of thousands of Greek Americans who live in the United States today."
Space is a member of the Massillon Greek Orthodox Church.
CONTACT: GEORGIA ECONOMOU
(202) 785-8430
Αμερικανοί βουλευτές προωθούν ελληνικά θέματα
Σε ομιλία της στην υποεπιτροπή Ευρωπαϊκών Υποθέσεων η Αμερικανίδα Βουλευτής, Carolyn Maloney, μίλησε για τις Ελληνοτουρκικές σχέσεις αλλά και για τον ρόλο του Βουλευτικού Ελληνικού Συμβουλίου που ιδρύθηκε το 1996 με πρωτοβουλία της ιδίας και του Ελληνο-
αμερικανού βουλευτή, τότε, Mike Biliraki. Το Συμβούλιο αυτό, είπε η βουλευτής στην επιτροπή, αποτελεί όργανο προώθησης της δημοκρατίας, της ελευθερίας και γενικότερα των συμφερόντων της Αμερικής στις χώρες της Aνατολικής Mεσογείου.
Η φιλέλληνας βουλευτής αναφέρθηκε στο θέμα των Αμερικανικο-Τουρκικών σχέσεων. Υπενθύμισε την τουρκική εισβολή και την παράνομη κατοχή του ενός τρίτου της Κύπρου από τα τουρκικά στρατεύματα, αλλά και την παραμονή 43 χιλιάδων Τούρκων στρατιωτών στο νησί.
«Oι ΗΠΑ και η διεθνής κοινότητα – εκτός από την Τουρκία – αναγνωρίζουν μόνο την Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία. Η οντότητα της χώρας αυτής είναι αναγνωρισμένη και από τις δεκάδες των ψηφισμάτων στον Οργανισμό Ηνωμένων Εθνών. Βάσει αυτών των ψηφισμάτων», είπε χαρακτηριστικά η κ. Maloney «η Αμερική δεν θα πρέπει να αναγνωρίσει την αυτοαποκαλούμενη Τουρκική δημοκρατία της Βορείου Κύπρου».
«Η Κύπρος», είπε μεταξύ άλλων η Αμερικανίδα Βουλευτής «έχει αποδείξει στην Αμερική πως είναι μια πιστή σύμμαχος. Υπεράσπισε και ασπάστηκε πολλές από τις αποφάσεις μας σε κρίσιμες στιγμές, για την ασφάλεια της χώρας μας, αλλά και τον αγώνα εναντίον της τρομοκρατίας».
«Ελπίζω», κατέληξε «πως και εσείς τα υπόλοιπα μέλη της επιτροπής αυτής θα συμμετέχετε στην προσπάθεια μας να ωθήσουμε την Τουρκία προς την κατεύθυνση της Ελευθερίας και της Δημοκρατίας. Μια δημοκρατική Τουρκία θα αποτελεί μια μακροπρόθεσμη σχέση πολύπλευρων συμφερόντων για την Αμερική, την Ευρώπη, την Κύπρο, την Τουρκία, αλλά και τον υπόλοιπο κόσμο».
