Eddie Zemenidis said in his statements that it was circulated in Washington that the Turkish president will do something big on July 20 – Congress reports that by blocking dialogue with Greece, Erdogan is putting obstacles in the way for the F-16 deal
The rumors heard in Washington about the annexation of the occupied Cyprus to Turkeythe head of the Greek lobby in the US revealed with his statements.
The executive director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), Eddie Zemenidis said on the First Program and on the show “The GPS of Current Affairs” that the Turkish president can announce the annexation of the occupied territories on July 20: “Yesterday it was released in Washington that Mr. Erdogan will do something big in the occupied territories on July 20. The prevailing scenario is that the Turkish president to announce the annexation of the Occupied”.
He added that the American side intends to send a resolution to the UN in order to prevent this scenario. “After many years, the US has emphasized bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus and that for the first time, in the next two to three months, an American ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus will be appointed, who will be a person that Senator Bob also trusts Menendez”.
Estimate, not, that, if US President Biden acting alone, he would not consent to the upgrade of the Turkish F-16s. “We also see with the amendment that the limit is for six months not to commit violations, but will he do it? But this is very important, because we see that the Mitsotakis government is willing to talk with Turkey and Mr. Erdogan is the one who refuses,” he emphasized and added: “So the Congress is declaring that by excluding Erdogan from dialogue with Greece , is at the same time putting an obstacle to an agreement with the US on the F-16”.
“Congress has always taken a hard line both under the Trump presidency and now, on Turkey and with the F-35s and now with the F-16s. Greece is close to closing the deal with the US for the F-35, as it has proven over the years that it is a reliable ally, it has shown its capabilities, and America will invest in these defense relations. With the recent amendment, Congress sends a clear message to Turkey that enough is enough, if you want to be an ally and get the F-16s, we never tell you, but prove to us that you are not only an ally of America, but also in NATO and opposite in Greece” said Mr. Zemenidis.
Referring to Turkey’s provocative actions against Greece, he said: “These violations must stop and America must play a role here. Here, other Greek-Americans say that, if there is a heated episode, then America will come in. No, America’s job now is to play the leadership role it has in NATO and make a heated episode unlikely. And here only Turkey is to blame. Greece is not going over Turkey’s territory, Turkey is going over Greek territory and the president must be clear and say “this stops, if you want relations to continue, this stops”.
“It seems that the Congress has also sent a clear message to Ankara about any provocations in the Aegean, but also in Cyprus. In the case of a hot episode, however, there are people who can intervene in the developments, influencing Turkey, and they are Jake Sullivan, Biden, Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin,” he stressed. “The point is that ‘the violations must stop today, before there is a heated episode,'” he added.
And he concluded: “I think that Mr. Biden, in order to secure Sweden and Finland, uses rhetoric that Erdogan likes, but let’s see what his actions are. The American president and the State Department have not put any pressure on Congress about the F-16s, even though they are talking about it, even though they say yes officially.”
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