62nd Pan-Macedonian Union of America Congress Ends

Posted on Monday, June 09 @ 15:42:17 EDT by greek_news

New York.- The 62nd congress of the Panmacedonian Union of America ended here on Saturday May 31st, with the re-election of Nina Gatzouli as the Union's president and the ratification of a resolution stressing that "we shall never accept any name for FYROM (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) that will contain the term 'Macedonia' or its derivatives.

"The delegates declared their "steadfast opposition" to the recognition of FYROM by the United States with the name "Republic of Macedonia" and called for "continuous propaganda on irredentism that is being emitted by FYROM, including the appropriation and distortion of the Greek cultural heritage of Macedonia, to stop completely."

During the official dinner, Archbishop of America Demetrios was honoured with the "Filippio Award." Receiving the award, the primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of America called on the delegates and the expatriates in general to confront FYROM's propaganda "that has infiltrated government services and public libraries in the United States."

Greek Ambassador to the United States Alexandros Mallias said on his part that "your decision to honour Archbishop Demetrios with the 'Filippio Award' gives it a splendour and a moral base."

DECLARATIONThe Pan-Macedonian Association of the USA in a duly convened meeting at its 62nd Annual Convention on May 29 to May 31st, 2008, in New York, NY USA declares the following:

1. We strongly oppose the recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia (The FYROM) as the “Republic of Macedonia” by the government of the United States of America.

2. We demand that the continuous irredentist propaganda emanating from The FYROM, including the falsification of the Hellenic heritage of Macedonia, stops immediately.

3. We shall never accept an Orthodox Church with the term "Macedonia" or its derivatives in its name.

4. We oppose the use of the name Republic of “Macedonia” in any legal document within the Hellenic Republic, or by Hellenic interests worldwide.

5. We condemn terrorism in all of its forms.

6. Turkey must respect the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, which is a full EU member. Turkey must immediately remove all its occupation troops, it must remove the illegal settlers who were brought to Cyprus from the mainland of Turkey, return all properties to the rightful owners and make all reparations to the Cypriots.

7. We regard the continued discriminatory acts, rules, and policy of Turkey against the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, a violation of freedom of religion that is inconsistent with the country's aspirations to become a member of the European Union. We demand the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, the restoration of the confiscated property of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and we demand respect for the property rights of Hellenes in Constantinople. The recent decision by Turkish Supreme Court rejecting the ecumenicity of the Patriarch is contrary to European Union Laws.

8. We demand recognition by the U.S.A. and Turkish governments of the genocides against the Armenian, Assyrian as well as the Hellenic genocide.

9. We condemn the continuous violations by Turkey of the Greek territorial space.

10. We expect from the Republic of Bulgaria to return of the Holy Relics that were removed from the monasteries of Drama and Serres.

11. We demand the return of the Parthenon Marbles to the place of their origin.

12. The Kalash of the northern Himalayan region of the Hindu Kush Mountains of Pakistan are Hellenic descendants of the armies of Alexander the Great. The Kalash Indigenous people have sustained their ancient culture and traditions since the 4th century B.C., yet they are in danger of extinction. Being our Hellenic Macedonian brothers and sisters, we support their efforts to sustain their ethnic values and identity.

13. We support the Kalash proposal to “Bring the Glory Back” which is, to apply the rule of Law of Alexander the Great, as the guideline for the Security Council of the United Nations”.

14. The retrieval of bones of Greek soldiers, who fell during WWII battles in the mountains of Northern Epirus, is not an economic transaction, but a humanitarian issue and our national duty. The road of Albania to the European Union requires the RESPECT of Human, Political, Cultural, Religious and Educational Rights of the Greek minority.

15. The Albanians should cease all propaganda regarding the Chams if Albania is to proceed in its Euro-Atlantic integration.

16. We urge all Greek-Americans to register to vote and exercise that right in all upcoming elections. We also urge them to influence their local, state and national Representatives to support the Hellenic national issues and specifically support HR 356 and SR 300, regarding the irredentist propaganda of the FYROM.

17. The Greek Parliament should not ratify any agreement for the admission of the FYROM into NATO or the European Union even under any name that includes the term “Macedonia” or its derivatives.

18. We disagree with the Greek political leaders in regards of the previous decision of the political leaders which excluded the use of the term “Macedonia” for the name of the FYROM.

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