March 9, 2014 – Nicosia – An AJC leadership delegation has just concluded a visit to Cyprus.
The trip's highlights included a private dinner at the Presidential Palace hosted by Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the First Lady, as well as meetings with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides; Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Yiorgos Lakkotrypis; U.S. Ambassador John Koenig; and Israeli Acting Ambassador Sami Abu Janeb.
"We visited Cyprus to express our support for the deepening links with neighboring Israel, which serve the highest national interests of both democratic countries," said AJC Executive Director David Harris, who has been to Nicosia on several occasions.
"We also wished to underscore our appreciation for current U.S. efforts to help Greek and Turkish Cypriots to reunify the island, since its division in 1974 as a result of the Turkish military invasion. More broadly, the importance of the Eastern Mediterranean region is great and growing, which makes the increasing links among Cyprus, Greece and Israel all the more significant as key factors for enhanced stability, security and prosperity."
During the two-day mission, the 12-person delegation, led by AJC President Stanley Bergman and Executive Director David Harris, discussed regional developments, explored ideas for increased cooperation, and addressed efforts to revitalize the Cypriot economy.
AJC has long maintained relations with Cypriot diplomats in the U.S. and Europe, as well as with Hellenic-American leaders, several of whom were present at the Presidential dinner.
The Cyprus visit concluded a three-country AJC diplomatic mission that included stops in Azerbaijan and Greece.
