NEW YORK – The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) has launched a petition to tell U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to “Stand with Greece” as the nation faces the continuing threats from Turkey which has driven thousands of refugees to Greece’s border.

HALC released the following statement and letter for individuals to send to Secretary Pompeo:

Greece is facing an unprecedented crisis. Turkey is continuing to threaten Greece, and — despite its promises to the EU — has now driven refugees to Greece’s border, which it knows is closed. Turkey is making an already tragic and volatile situation even worse, and it is imperative that the international community make clear that Turkey’s dangerous actions are unacceptable.

The United States State Department has released a statement offering up basic support for Greece’s right to enforce its border security, but the statement does not go far enough.

Please send a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today calling on the State Department to issue a forceful rebuke of Turkey’s destabilizing behavior.

Petition Letter:

As an American citizen concerned with the crisis at the Greek-Turkish border, I am writing to follow up on the statement issued by the State Department to Hellas Journal regarding the crisis and President Trump’s conversation on the matter with Prime Minister Mitsotakis.

I too look for “restraint” to be exercised, but I also believe the US must be clear about the cause of this crisis: Turkey is conducting asymmetric warfare on Greece.  President Erdogan admitted that he is refusing to apply Turkey’s migration accord with the EU in retaliation for the EU’s refusal to back his military campaign in Syria.

Turkey’s act of war is not due to an influx of refugees from Idlib.  Erdogan is weaponizing migrants who are not even from Syria in order to blackmail Europe.  These are not the actions of an ally, a humanitarian, or a responsible global actor. These are the actions of a human trafficker or a terrorist.

For that reason, I request that the State Department speak clearly and unequivocally to Turkey – asymmetric warfare, weaponization of migrants, and hostage politics must be condemned by the United States.

You have been clear about Greece’s role as a pillar of stability.  At this moment, when Turkey’s actions risk destabilizing Greece, it’s more important than ever that we stand by Greece and not make its people feel that they stand alone in the face of hybrid warfare.

Thank you.

More information is available online: https://hellenicleaders.p2a.co/l0ujj2o.