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Ambassador Burns on U.S. - Greece Relations
Originally From: John Sitilides <sitilides@westernpolicy.org>
For Immediate Release
Contact: Spiros Rizopoulos (202) 530-1425
March 3, 1999
Ambassador Nicholas Burns Addresses
U.S.-Greece Relations, Opportunities And Concerns Among Allies
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Ambassador to Greece R. Nicholas Burns examined
recent developments in U.S.-Greece relations, the impact of the Ocalan
matter on Greek-Turkish affairs, and prospects for peace in Cyprus, the
eastern Mediterranean, and the Balkans during today's Perspectives
Roundtable organized by the Western Policy Center.
In his frank, off-the-record remarks, Ambassador Burns reviewed the
strategic importance of Greece to the U.S.; Greece's ongoing progress in
joining Europe's Economic and Monetary Union in 2001; Greece's
constructive contributions to NATO security missions in Kosovo and
Bosnia; the convergence of U.S. and Greek foreign policy; and avenues
for improving U.S.-Greek economic relations. Ambassador Burns also
fielded a series of questions from the audience, composed of think-tank
analysts and regional experts, during a lengthy session moderated by
John Sitilides, Executive Director of the Center.
Ambassador Burns was appointed by President Clinton and sworn in on
November 10, 1997. Previous to his service in Athens, Burns served as
Spokesman for the Department of State and Acting Assistant Secretary for
Public Affairs under Secretaries Warren Christopher and Madeleine
Albright from 1995 to 1997. In addition, Burns served in diplomatic
posts in Egypt and Israel, as Director for Soviet (later Russian)
Affairs at the National Security Council under the Bush administration,
and as President Bush's advisor on Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus.
Today's event was the fourth Perspectives Roundtable, part of a series
at the Western Policy Center, which convenes government officials,
foreign policy analysts, and diplomats to exchange ideas and promote
solutions to problems among Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus.
On February 19, the Center hosted Professor Theodore Couloumbis from the
University of Athens and Colonel Haldun Solmazturk from the Washington
Institute for Near East Policy, who addressed current problems and
security perceptions between Greece and Turkey, as well as prospects for
creative and workable solutions, before an audience of senior officials
from the Departments of State and Defense, and the Intelligence
Community.
The series of high quality discussions on serious issues in the
Aegean, Cyprus, and the Balkans began with the Center's first roundtable
in November 1998 with Professor Speros Vryonis, Jr., and Professor
Christos Ioannides of the S.B. Vryonis Center for the Study of Hellenism
addressing State Department, Defense Department, and Intelligence
Community officials. In January 1999, the Center hosted Greece's
Minister of Development, Vasso Papandreou, who discussed "Greece's
Economic Leadership Role in the Balkans" before an audience of State
Department officials, think-tank analysts, and financial journalists.
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