CHICAGO – The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (NDAA), which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on November 25, included an amendment offered by Congressmen Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and David N. Cicilline (D-RI), calling for the reassessment of the U.S. embargo on Cyprus.
Rep. Cicilline declare that the embargo, “fails to reflect the current relationship Cyprus enjoys with the United States as a key ally and strategic partner in the Global War on Terror.”
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) spearheaded support for the amendment in the Senate.
Among the Greek-American leaders applauding the inclusion of the Cyprus amendment, noting that “this is an important step in the growing strategic partnership between Cyprus and the United States. The reevaluation of the arms embargo required by this act will hopefully rectify the absurd status quo in which Turkey is allowed to occupy Cyprus with American arms but Cyprus has to look elsewhere to buy defensive weapons. Resolving this will allow Cyprus to step up even further as a front line state in the Western security infrastructure.”
HALC is a nationwide network composed of Hellenes and Philhellenes.
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