Παρουσίαση του βιβλίου του Ευγένιου Ρωσσίδη «Ο Κίσινγκερ και η Κύπρος: Μια μελέτη στην ανομία»
Λέσχη Αξιωματικών Θεσσαλονίκης, 16 Οκτωβρίου 2014
Ο Ευγένιος Ρωσσίδης δεν χρειάζεται εισαγωγή.
Δεν χρειάζεται συστάσεις.
Ο Ρωσσίδης είναι το έργο του η παρακαταθήκη του.
O ελληνισμός και η Ελλάδα ειδικότερα, χρειάζονται σήμερα περισσότερο από ποτέ, πολίτες που να έχουν σαν πρότυπο το υπόδειγμα, το πρότυπο πατριωτικής προσφοράς του Ευγένιου Ρωσσίδη.
Allow me to express, at the outset, our deep sorrow that Ted Spyropoulos is not anymore with us. We truly miss him.
Gene Rossides is the founder of the Washington based American Hellenic Institute.
AHI was founded in 1974 following Turkey’s invasion in Cyprus.
While the then US Administration refused to enforce federal laws prohibiting Turkey to use American arms and military equipment, the AHI, under Rossides passionate guidance, persuaded the Congress.
Indeed, the legislation passed by the Congress is what we then called the US slative Branch to uphold the American Law.
For sure this action did not generate much sympathy to AHI and personally to Gene Rossides from the Administration.
I am honoured tonight to introduce before this distinguished audience Gene Rossides.
Yet, I believe that the better introduction to the man is his own achievements.
I had the privilege ant the pleasure to closely work with Gene Rossides, Nick Larigkakis the efficient, dynamic and pragmatic AHI’s President, Nick Karambelas, Many Rouvelas and many other executives in promoting both to the Executive Branch as well as to the Congress, the Think Tank community and the Media issues related to the Hellenism.
On the top of the agenda the ongoing occupation of the Republic of Cyprus by ,Turkey , a NATO member which is also candidate to join the European Union, the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Ecumenical Patriarchate .
Furthermore, recently AHI is also dealing with the threats of use of force by Turkey against Cyprus related to the gas drilling within her Exclusive Economic Zone.
AHI is the work, a life’s achievement of Rossides’s passion, dedication and last but not least money.
While in Washington, I used to say that we should create AHI, if AHI did not exist.
It is fair to say that The Hellenic House, AHI’s headquarters, is a key enabler for the promotion of the interests of Hellenism in Washington D.C.
How? Simply be explaining that it is in the U.S. ‘ interest to uphold the law, to respect and acknowledge Greece’s contribution to the NATO and bilaterally to the US, mainly through the Suda facilities. Also by promoting that we do NOT ONLY CHERISH THE SAME VALUES, BUT WE ALSO SHARE A LARGE ARRAY OF COMMON INTERETS.
The increasing partnership between Israel, Cyprus and Greece is a new dynamic dimension that enters in the interest based syllogism.
On a more personal basis I should say the Gene Rossides is not an easy man to work with. He has clear ideas, firm stand, inflexible stance and a very convincing voice tune…
Accompanied by some prominent AHI friends he visited me at the Directorate of Balkans Affairs in Athens, sometime before my departure for Washington. It was early summer 2005.
We spent together almost two hours. He asked for my opinion on almost every single detail.
At the end of this discussion I turned to him and I told him :
Gene, I understand that my confirmation session is now over…
Ο Ευγένιος Ρωσσίδης, Eugene Rossides, είναι ο ιδρυτής και η ψυχή του Ελληνοαμερικανικού Ινστιτούτου.
