February 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The Israeli embassy in Washington hosted a launch of a new congressional grouping called the Hellenic-Israel Caucus, dedicated to improving Israeli-Greek-Cypriot ties.

Attending the launch Wednesday were the co-chairmen of the newly established caucus, Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), as well as lawmakers including Reps. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), the senior Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

Greek-Cypriot-Israeli ties have become closer in recent years as tensions between all three nations and Turkey have for varying reasons intensified.

Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren in his remarks at the dinner touted shared economic and strategic interests among the three countries.  

Christos Panagopoulos, the Greek ambassador to Washington, said cooperation among the three countries would bring “peace, stability and prosperity” to the region.

Also addressing the event was Olympia Neocleous, the charge d’affaires at the Cypriot embassy in Washington.

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