AHEPA condemns the recent visit of U.S. congressman Pete Sessions to the Turkish Occupied Part of The Republic of Cyprus via Illegal port of entry and informs the Speaker of the House
The delegates of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), elected Savas Tsivicos, of Ocean, N.J., Supreme President, at the 101st Annual Supreme Convention, Las Vegas, Nev. Photo via AHEPA
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Dear Speaker McCarthy:
On behalf of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), I write to call to your attention an illegal action committed by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives this week.
Specifically, we condemn the visit to Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus via an illegal port of entry of an airport in the north (Ercan Airport) from Turkey by U.S. Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX) on August 3, 2023.
This is an act inconsistent with international law and violates the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, an EU country and U.S. strategic partner. The United States’ domestic law supports international law and the international custom of nations. The Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation (1944) is binding to all signatories, including the United States, Cyprus, and Turkey.
The legal way to visit occupied Cyprus is through the Republic of Cyprus. Visits to the occupied area must be conducted via this procedure and process.
Drawing an analogy, we hesitate to believe that you, Mr. Speaker, or Congressman Sessions would condone a visit to Crimea via Russia.
Therefore, we request that you censure Congressman Sessions for this unlawful act.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Savas Tsivicos
National President
Cc: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael McCaul
Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Gregory Meeks
House of Representatives Committee on Ethics
Congressional Hellenic Caucus Co-Chairs Gus Bilirakis and Chris Pappas