[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 13, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    AMERICAN HELLENIC INSTITUTE LETTER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP REGARDING 
   TURKEY'S CONTINUED AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 13, 2018

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the 
American Hellenic Institute regarding Turkey's continued dangerous 
actions in the eastern Mediterranean and broader region that threaten 
regional security and U.S. interests. As one of the co-chairs of the 
Congressional Hellenic Caucus, I have advocated for the rights of 
Greece and Cyprus against the intimidating actions of Turkey. Since 
Turkey's Presidential referendum vote, Erdogan's government continues 
to ignore and violate long-standing international law and treaties--a 
threat to regional security and an impediment to regional interests, 
stability, and prosperity.
  As we have done times before, we must continue to condemn these acts 
of aggression and renew our call for President Erdogan's government to 
demonstrate to the international community that it is committed to all 
international laws and agreements. Additionally, the United States and 
our strategic regional allies must be better prepared to respond 
quickly and forcefully to transgression of international law from any 
nation including NATO ally Turkey through targeted sanctions and 
foreign aid restrictions.

     President Donald J. Trump,
     President of the United States,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the nationwide membership 
     of the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), I write to urge the 
     U.S. government to condemn strongly the acts of Turkish 
     provocation and aggression in the eastern Mediterranean and 
     broader region that have dire implications to U.S. security 
     interests.
       During this month alone, Turkey's antagonistic behavior--or 
     ``gunboat diplomacy''--in the Aegean Sea against NATO partner 
     Greece, and bellicose threats to EU member Republic of 
     Cyprus' sovereign right to explore for natural gas with its 
     exclusive economic zone (EEZ), were taken to new dangerous 
     heights. In fact, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 
     threatened Greece, Cyprus, and international oil and gas 
     companies, warning them not to ``step out of line.'' 
     Furthermore, Turkey's acts of provocation have also been 
     directed at the United States. With regard to the Aegean Sea, 
     a Turkish coastguard vessel collided with a stationary Greek 
     coastguard vessel near the Greek island of Imia, on February 
     12, 2018. Video footage of the incident has since been 
     released and shows damage to the Greek vessel's stern. In 
     addition, Turkey continues to violate Greece's airspace. 
     According to press reports, 33 Turkish aircraft have violated 
     Greece's airspace during the first twelve days of February 
     2018. Combined with what transpired on the seas, these are 
     very serious incidents that risk placing lives in harm's way 
     and violate international law.
       With regard to Cyprus and implications to the potential for 
     energy security, Turkish warships harassed the surveying 
     vessel of Italian oil company Eni and threatened on February 
     23, 2018 to sink it in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus. 
     According to press reports, Eni's ship was forced to make 
     maneuvers to avoid a collision after the Italian captain's 
     request to the Turkish vessel to change course went 
     unanswered.
       The Republic of Cyprus has the sovereign right under 
     international law to explore and exploit its natural 
     resources within its exclusive economic zone. The United 
     States has stated repeatedly it supports Cyprus' sovereign 
     right to explore energy in its offshore areas, most recently 
     by a State Department Spokesperson earlier this month. ``The 
     United States recognizes the right of the Republic of Cyprus 
     to develop its resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone,'' 
     the spokesperson said, adding, ``the island's oil and gas 
     resources, like all of its resources, should be equitably 
     shared between both communities in the context of an overall 
     settlement. Furthermore, Turkish aggression in Cyprus' EEZ 
     presents an endangerment to U.S. companies, such as 
     ExxonMobil and Noble Energy, who have been, or will be, 
     working to explore for hydrocarbons in the eastern 
     Mediterranean.
       Moreover, Turkey continues to demonstrate it is not a true 
     and dependable U.S. and NATO ally. President Erdogan 
     threatened United States military forces with an ``Ottoman 
     slap'' if they continued to partner with Syrian Kurds. 
     Turkey's military campaign against the Kurds in Syria places 
     U.S. troops in Manbij at risk of peril at the hands of a NATO 
     partner. Further, Turkey's $2.5 billion purchase of four 
     divisions of S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia has 
     raised concern among NATO partners and potentially subjects 
     Turkey to U.S. sanctions based upon the recently-enacted 
     Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 
     (CAATSA), according to a U.S. administration official.
       Mr. President, Turkey is a significant force of instability 
     and a failed U.S. ally. Historically, this has been the case; 
     however, Turkey demonstrated this yet again in the short span 
     of three weeks this month. Turkey's aggressive and 
     provocative actions directed at the United States and U.S. 
     allies, Greece and Cyprus, are overt, egregious and 
     dangerous. I urge the administration to act to uphold the 
     rule of law and to call on Turkey, the provocateur of these 
     tensions, to cease and desist with its aggressive actions 
     that are a threat to peace and stability and are not in the 
     best interests of the United States.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Nick Larigakis,
                                                        President.