Washington, DC - The following Op-Ed article by AHI President Gene
Rossides appeared in The National Herald of January 29, 2005, page 11, The
Hellenic News of America of February 1, 2005, page 3 and The Hellenic
Voice of February 2, 2005, page 5.
Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Bush's Inaugural Speech
By Gene Rossides
President Bush in his inaugural
address devoted largely to foreign policy, used language that implied an
expansive foreign policy in support of liberty, freedom and democracy
worldwide.
Bush stated; "From the day
of our founding we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth
has rights, and dignity, and matchless value.Across the generations, we
have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit
to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals
is the mission that created our nation. It is the honorable achievement of
our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security,
and the calling of our time."
President Bush then stated the
broad global mission of the U.S. in the following
sentence: "So it is the policy of the United States to seek and
support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every
nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our
world."
Bush continued: "Freedom,
by its nature, must be chosen and defended by citizens, and sustained by
the rule of law and the protection of minorities.America will not impose
our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help
others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own
way.
The great objective of ending
tyranny is the concentrated work of generations.[F]ortunately for the
oppressed, America's influence is considerable, and we will use it
confidently in freedom's cause.
? ? ? ?
We will persistently clarify
the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between
oppression which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right.
America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or
that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being
aspires to live at the mercy of bullies.
We will encourage reform in
other governments by making clear that success in our relations will
require the decent treatment of their own people. Americas belief in human
dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more that the grudging
concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the
participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice
without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.
? ? ? ?
Today America speaks anew to
the people of the world: All people who live in tyranny and hopelessness
can know -- the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse
your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.
Democratic reformers facing
repression, prison or exile can know: America sees you for who you are -
the future leaders of your free country."
? ? ? ?
The President called on
"our youngest citizens" to: "make the choice to serve in a
cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself, and in your days you
will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its
character."
The President asked two
questions in the concluding part of his speech: "Did our generation
advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that
cause?"
The President said: "We go
forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom.When
our founders declared a new order of the ages. they were acting on an
ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled."
The President concluded with
the following paragraph:
"When the Declaration of
Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in
celebration, a witness said, 'It rang as if it meant something.' In our
time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims
liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof.
Renewed in our strength, tested but not weary, we are ready for the
greatest achievements in the history of freedom."
How will Bush's speech affect
U.S. relations with Greece, Cyprus and Turkey?
Greece
Greece has continuing problems
with Turkey because of Turkey's claims to one-half of the Aegean and
Turkey's routine violations of Greek air space. The U.S. through the
actions of the State Department has failed to uphold international
treaties and law which delineate the maritime boundary in the Aegean
between Greece and Turkey. The U.S. is a signatory to the key treaty, the
1947 Paris Peace Treaty, yet has refused to date to state publicly what
the maritime boundary is and that Turkey has no legitimate claim.
Regarding violations of Greek
air space by Turkish air force planes, the U.S. turns a blind eye rather
than calling on Turkey to cease its violations.
Cyprus
Cyprus continues to be the
victim of Turkish aggression and occupation. Turkey's occupation of 37% of
Cyprus is now it its 31st year with 35,000 Turkish occupation troops and
over 100,000 illegal settlers. Instead of taking actions to end Turkey's
illegal occupation, the U.S. backed the infamous Annan Plan with its
undemocratic features, its unworkable and not financially viable
provisions and which, unbelievably, called on the Greek Cypriots to pay
for the damages they suffered from the Turkish military and for the return
of their own property.
Unless President Bush acts
decisively and changes U.S. policy towards Turkey's aggression and
occupation in Cyprus and Turkey's outlandish Aegean claims and Turkey's
violations of Greek air space, it will make a mockery of his eloquent and
high minded inaugural speech.
Regarding Cyprus, President
Bush should adopt the policy of his father who stated on July 7, 1988 in a
speech in Boston:
"We seek for Cyprus a
constitutional democracy based on majority rule, the rule of law and the
protection of minority rights..I want to see a democratic Cyprus free from
the threat of war."
Turkey
Regarding Turkey's aggression
in Cyprus, President Bush should adopt the policy of President Dwight D.
Eisenhower in opposition to aggression and support of the rule of law in
international affairs when he condemned and reversed the invasion of Egypt
by Britain, France and Israel in October 1956. It is worth recalling
Eisenhower's words during the 1956 Suez crisis. In his October 31, 1956
television and radio report to the nation Eisenhower said:
"There can be no peace
without law. And there can be no law if we were to invoke one code of
international conduct for those who oppose us and another for our
friends."
President Bush also needs to
take action against Turkey for (1) its violations of the rights of its
Kurdish citizens which amounts to ethnic cleansing, crimes against
humanity and genocide; (2) its thousands of political prisoners; (3) its
jailed journalists; (4) its lack of religious freedom for the Ecumenical
Patriarchate; (5) its failure to reopen the Halki Patriarchal School of
Theology illegally closed in 1971; and (6) its failure to acknowledge the
Armenian genocide.
Unless President Bush acts to
change U.S. policy towards Turkey to accord with his eloquent phrases in
his inaugural speech, the answers to his two questions will be
"no."
Gene Rossides is President of the American
Hellenic Institute and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
