Biden Staunch Supporter of Hellenic Issues

A Few Examples of Senator Joe Biden's
Record of Support of Hellenic and Orthodox Issues
[As of 9/9/08] Contributed by Basil Simon and Mike Manatos

Of the hundreds of U.S. Senators to have served since 1972, when Joe Biden was first elected, only three others -- Hellenes Paul Sarbanes and Olympia Snowe and Tom Eagleton, the leader of the Turkish arms embargo after the Cyprus invasion -- have risen to level of Senator Joe Biden in terms of their advocacy of Hellenic and Orthodox issues. His grade for support of Hellenic and Orthodox issues is an "A+."

Never before has a Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee risen to Biden's level. Should he be elected Vice President, never before will a President or Vice President of the United States have entered office at this level on Hellenic and Orthodox issues. It will be the first opportunity in modern times for there to be a dramatic change in the American bureaucracy's treatment of Hellenic and Orthodox issues.

Ecumenical Patriarchate

" Since his selection as Barack Obama's Vice Presidential nominee, Biden has indicated that if his ticket wins, the "religious freedom" crisis facing the Ecumenical Patriarchate will become a high priority of the American government;
" In 2006 Biden authored and helped secure the signatures of 75 of the 100 U.S. Senators on a letter to President George W. Bush regarding the survival of the Ecumenical Patriarchate;
" He cosponsored, in 1997, S.1062 authorizing the Congressional Gold Medal for Ecumenical Patriarch.

Cyprus

" He delivered the strongest statement on record regarding Cyprus when, as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he told then-Prime Minister of Turkey Bulent Ecevit, at a public hearing before his Committee that unless Turkey's military occupation of Cyprus, which violates UN and US policy for Cyprus, ends, I will make your country's relationship with the United States as difficult as possible. As well he said, "If you do not solve the Cyprus problem, then I will not approve the financial aid package of $5 billion which you expect from us, the U.S. Congress;"
" In a recent interview, posted on the September 4, 2008 online edition of the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, he called for "the full withdrawl" of Turkish troops from Cyprus;
" He was one of only 36 Senators who voted in 1995 to cut aid to Turkey due to its occupation of Cyprus;
" He was one of only 12 Senators who cosponsored in 2002 Senate Concurrent Resolution 122 expressing support for Cyprus EU accession;
" He was one of only 16 Senators who in 2001 cosponsored Senate Concurrent Resolution 28 calling for an end to the restrictions on the freedom and human rights of the Cyprus enclaved;
" He signed a letter in 2006 thanking Cyprus for help evacuating US citizens from Lebanon;
" He signed a letter in 2000 urging President Clinton to become personally involved in Cyprus settlement.

Greece
" He cosponsors each year a resolution highlighting U.S.-Greece relations and commemorating March 25 as Greek Independence Day;
" He cosponsored in 2004 Senate Concurrent Res. 427 congratulating Greece for the 2004 Olympics.

Macedonian Issue
" Has supported efforts through actions by his Senate Foreign Relations Committee to urge FYROM to end its propaganda against Greece and find a mutually acceptable final name;
" Has supported efforts through actions by his Senate Foreign Relations Committee to push the Administration to call on FYROM to end its irredentism against Greece.

Malista!