February 2, 2017 — Nicosia, Cyprus
Nicos Anastasiades, the President of Cyprus, confirmed that he will address the AJC Global Forum, scheduled for June 4-6, in Washington, D.C. More than 2,500 AJC delegates from across the country, joined by religious, political, and civic leaders from over 70 countries, are expected to attend.
The Cypriot leader shared the news in a meeting this morning with an AJC leadership delegation led by CEO David Harris during a two-day stay in Nicosia.
The group also met with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, an alumnus of AJC Project Interchange and longtime friend, and the ambassadors of the U.S. and Israel to Cyprus.
Among the principal topics discussed were: (a) Cypriot-U.S. ties, especially following the election of President Trump; (b) bilateral relations between Nicosia and Jerusalem; (c) ongoing efforts to reunify the island following the 1974 Turkish invasion; and (d) regional cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean, including the ever-expanding strategic triangle among Cyprus, Greece, and Israel.
"We visited Cyprus to underscore the ongoing importance we attach to the island nation's strong links with Washington and Jerusalem, as well as the deepening ties among Cyprus, Greece, and Israel, which help serve each country's highest interests," said Harris, who has visited Nicosia many times over the span of three decades. "We came as devoted friends, and we leave as still more devoted friends."
During the visit, the delegation visited a monument dedicated to the more than 2,200 children born in Cyprus to Jewish Holocaust survivors held in British detention camps on the island from 1946 to 1949.
The schedule also included an address by Harris at the University of Cyprus, where Harris spoke to more than 40 students, faculty members, and diplomats about U.S. foreign policy. It was Harris's second visit to the academic institution.
The other members of the leadership delegation were Harriet Schleifer, Chair of AJC's Board of Governors; Avital Leibovich, Director of AJC Jerusalem; Simone Rodan, Director of AJC Europe; Andy Manatos, a longtime Hellenic-American leader and partner of AJC; and Joey Resnick, AJC Chief of Staff to the CEO.
AJC maintains regular contact with Cypriot officials in the U.S., Europe, and other locations. Moreover, yearly visits to Nicosia and meetings on the sidelines of the annual opening of the UN General Assembly have become fixtures in AJC's relations with the country.
