AHI Applauds Passage of Pappas Amendment Restricting F-16 Sales to Turkey

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    WASHINGTON, DC – The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) on July 15 released a statement applauding the passage of amendment #399, also known as the “Pappas amendment,” introduced by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), alongside co-leads Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Carolyn Maloney, Frank Pallone, Nicole Malliotakis, John Sarbanes, and David Cicilline, into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

    The Pappas amendment prohibits the President from selling or exporting new F-16s or F-16 upgrade technology or modernization kits to Turkey unless the President provides a certification to Congress that such a transfer is in the national interest of the United States and includes a detailed description of concrete steps taken to ensure that such F-16s are not used by Turkey for repeated unauthorized territorial overflights of Greece.

    AHI, along with a wide coalition of partners, worked to actively support the passage of the amendment. According to Congressman Pappas’ official press release “The effort was supported by the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), American Hellenic Institute (AHI), American Jewish Committee (AJC), Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, American Friends of Kurdistan, American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), Middle East Forum, PSEKA, and Armenian Council of America (ACA).”

    The amendment uses the Arms Export Control Act as the primary tool to limit arms restrictions to Turkey. AHI has noted for years the need to see where violations of Greek airspace were in contravention of existing United States laws, and pioneered the concept of employing the Arms Export Control Act to hold Turkey accountable.

    See AHI’s 2020 Analysis on how Turkey’s violations of Greek airspace contravened American laws: https://bit.ly/3cnVDOd and AHI’s 2020 statement calling for the use of the Arms Export Control Act vis-a-vis Turkey: https://bit.ly/3yR3I5n.

    AHI President Larigakis said: “We applaud Congressman Pappas and the supporters of the amendment. Turkey should not be given F-16s or modernization kits. Turkey’s government, under the leadership of President Erdogan, is a rogue dictatorship that poses a danger not only to Greece, but to the broader region, NATO, and United States interests. It would be the height of strategic malpractice to sell F-16s to Turkey.”

    “Furthermore, I am delighted that Congressman Pappas has been able to successfully use the Arms Export Control Act as a tool vis-a-vis Turkey. This is a position that AHI has long advocated for on the Hill. AHI has always tried to analyze where United States laws can be applicable. United States laws, international law, and the rule of law must be brought into discussions with policy-makers on how to hold Turkey accountable.”

    View the amendment here: https://bit.ly/3zhctra.

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