President Donald Trump’s decision to remove US military support from Northeastern Syria jeopardizes, not only one of America’s greatest allies in the fight against ISIS, but also jeopardizes Greek and Cypriot sovereignty. As Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey mounts an attack against U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in Syria, there are simultaneously an approximate 20 Turkish Naval encircling Cyprus.

The American Hellenic Council condemns Turkey’s unprovoked attack on the Cyprus exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and sees this most recent invasion as further proof of the Turkish state as an unreliable and disloyal “ally” that does not share in the values of its NATO counterparts.

AHC Chairman and President, Dr. James F. Dimitriou, made the following statement, “The American Hellenic Council strongly condemns the withdrawal of US Forces to allow the Turkish invasion of Syria. Open Turkish aggression can never be tolerated. The Syrian SDF forces fought with the United States to defeat the Islamic State and now face annihilation by the Turkish Army. Turkey’s move will create more instability and refugees into the Greek islands.

The Council further condemns Turkish violations of Greek territorial waters and airspace while violating the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus. We must stand strong against a rogue state that is dangerous to the entire region! We call for sanctions on a NATO member that acquires Russian weapons and continues to be a threat to peace and stability in the region. We cannot and will not be silent.”

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