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PSEKA CYPRUS CONFERENCE HONORS CYPRUS FOREIGN MINISTER KASOULIDES AND CHAIRMAN BEN GILMAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- JUNE 11, 1997

Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and House International Relations Committee Chairman Ben Gilman (R-NY) were honored before over 150 Greek-American leaders and Cypriots from around the world at the grand banquet of the 8th Annual PSEKA Cyprus Conference in Washington, D.C. on June 4, 1997.

Minister Kasoulides, who met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright the day after the conference concluded, spoke at length to conference participants at the banquet and again at the conference's closing luncheon. Minister Kasoulides brought participants up-to-date on the latest efforts of the Cyprus government and the international community for a just and viable Cyprus settlement. The conference honored Minister Kasoulides, who had participated in previous Washington conferences as government spokesman, with a plaque containing a piece of the barbed wire that divides the island for his efforts to help remove it.

In addition, the first annual "George Paraskevaides Award" was presented to Chairman Gilman for his outstanding efforts for Cyprus. Chairman Gilman was appropriately the first recipient of this award which will be "given each year to that individual who, like George Paraskevaides, has utilized ancient Hellenic values to contribute to the nation and people of Cyprus."

Other honored guests in attendance included: from the U.S. Congress, Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) and Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Mike Pappas (R-NJ) and Brad Sherman (D-CA); from the State Department, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Marshall Adair and Director of Southern European Affairs Carey Cavanaugh; Cyprus Ambassador Andros Nicolaides and Greece's Ambassador Loucas Tsilas; members of the UK Parliament, Tom Cox and Eddie O'Hara; Cyprus Press and Information Office Director George Hadjisavvas; and Cypriot-American Florida State Senator Charlie Crist.

For more information, please contact Mike Manatos at (202) 393-7790.