PAN-MACEDONIAN  ASSOCIATION, Inc.

Παμμακεδονική Ένωση

U.S.A.

BY FAX:  1202-456-2461

 November 4, 2004

President George W. Bush

The White House, Washington, D.C. 

Dear Mr. President:

 We are appalled and ashamed that the first action by our government after the November elections was to recognize FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) as the “Republic of Macedonia”. We consider that this action is the wrong signal to send in the present terrorist era.  It is also a blatant stab in the back of our faithful and trusted ally Greece, one of only a handful such nations that, over the years, have stood shoulder to shoulder with the US fighting to preserve shared values of freedom, democracy and the dignity of human life. 

 It is an un-American epilogue to President Truman’s efforts to save Greek Macedonia from the communist menace of the time, only to have the US government 50 years later, recognize as legitimate FYROM’s stolen identity (i.e., the name Macedonia and Macedonian heritage that goes with it) that is not ours to grant nor is it FYROM’s to have.

 What makes this action even more painful to Americans, Mr. President, is the negation, once again, of America’s word, i.e., her international commitment to support United Nations sponsored talks between Greece and FYROM to peacefully resolve their differences. Worse yet, the policy change came at a time when both countries had just agreed to accelerate and expedite their negotiations.

Regrettably, this action also stabs American credibility  before the eyes of an increasingly skeptical and fearful world community that views America as a self righteous, arrogant, and going-it-alone maverick with selective, at best, respect for the international rule of law.  

For the members of the Pan-Macedonian Association, Inc. USA, other Hellene-Americans, Hellenes and other true democrats the world over, it is a call to action against this ill-timed, ill-conceived, and counterproductive to world peace act by the US government that must be reversed. 

 We urge you to reverse this contemptible policy and refrain from similar double standard policies that have raised anti-Americanism to unprecedented levels and have multiplied the number of fanatics who seek to do Americans harm.  

Respectfully,

Sotirios Proios                                                         Panos D. Spiliakos

Supreme President                                                  Supreme Secretary

cc Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell

     Vice President, Mr. Richard, Cheney