Delegates of the 34th annual International Coordinating Committee – “Justice For Cyprus” (PSEKA) Conference, which kicked off in Washington on Tuesday, have looked into ways of exerting influence on US President Donald Trump with a view to avert the Islamization of the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus.
The Conference is attended by 100 representatives of overseas Cypriots` organisations from all over America, and is also attended by Mayors of the occupied municipalities of Karavas and Lefkoniko, Nikos Hadjistephanou and Zena Lyssandrou, as well as by Greek MP Haris Theocharis.
In his opening speech, PSEKA President Philip Christopher said that they would inform members of the Congress on developments in the Cyprus problem and referred to the need for a new strategy aiming to avert Turkey`s effort to establish an Islamic fundamentalist “state” in Cyprus` Turkish occupied part.
“Trump is not a politician, and we hope that he can get the message. The geopoliticial situation in the region is changing and there are hopes that we will be able to make use of it,” he added.
World Federation of Overseas Cypriots (POMAK) President Andreas Papaevripides briefed delegates on UK positions as regards the Cyprus problem. He described the views expressed by the Foreign Secretary Borris Johnson on the issue of guarantees as positive, and criticized UK Minister of State for Europe Sir Alan Dunkan because, as he noted, during a recent meeting he had with the leadership of the Cypriot organizations in the UK, he blamed Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades for the failure of the Conference on Cyprus in Crans Montana. “After a long discussion he admitted that the Turks were not ready,” he added.
President of the National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes Andy Manatos referred to the illegal settling of the Cyprus` Turkish occupied areas, noting that according to information by Turkish Cypriots, the situation is worse than we thought.
According to estimations based on real data, there are 500,000 individuals from Turkey in the puppet regime. Erdogan`s effort to fully Islamize the occupied areas is an issue which must be brought to Trump`s attention, he added.
President of the American-Hellenic Institute, Nick Larigakis said that “we need to insist on exerting pressures towards the US government and the Congress.”. He also referred to the increasing escalation of the Turkish provocations against Cyprus and Greece.
The conference was also addressed by other officials who attended it, while Andreas Nicolaides, Chargé d`Affaires of the Cypriot Embassy in the US, hosted a reception for the delegates.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. The latest round of UN-peace talks at the Swiss resort of Crans – Montana ended without an agreement. Talks held under the auspices of the UN aim at reunifying Cyprus under a federal roof.