American Hellenic Institute

The American Hellenic Institute, Inc. (AHI) was founded on August 1, 1974, following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus with the illegal use of American-supplied arms in violation of U.S. laws and agreements. The AHI initiated the rule of law issue in the Congress in the interests of the U.S., thus changing the face of American politics. When Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and the United States Congress would not act to enforce U.S. laws following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus on July 20, 1974, AHI called on some of its friends in Congress. AHI wrote to them on August 28, 1974, setting forth Turkey’s violations of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA) and the Foreign Military Sales Act (FMSA) in its invasion of Cyprus with the illegal use of American supplied arms and equipment. Our friends in Congress adopted our arguments and sent a letter to Secretary Kissinger on August 29, 1974. Thus the rule of law issue was born. It should have been born the very day Turkey invaded Cyprus—July 20, 1974—and if it had been, there would have been no second aggression on August 14, 1974. Kissinger violated the FAA and FMSA and his constitutional oath of office to faithfully carry out the laws of the land when he refused to declare Turkey “immediately ineligible” for further U.S. aid and sales as required by law.