FINAL VERSION OF REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM -- NO LANGUAGE REGARDING “MACEDONIAN ISSUE”

[Harold Schiffman]

FINAL VERSION OF REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM -- NO LANGUAGE REGARDING"MACEDONIAN ISSUE"




WASHINGTON, D.C., September 2, 2008 – The final version of theRepublican Party�s 2008 "platform" does not contain unfavorablelanguage regarding the "Macedonian issue." Once again Hellenism owes agreat deal to the excellent work of the highest-ranking Republican onthe House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen(R-FL), to our leading Republican advocate on the House EuropeSubcommittee, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and others.


The Republican Party wisely chose not to support a country insistingon a name that describes neighboring territory that its people want toacquire. In addition to the impact of such a policy on our allyGreece, advocacy of such an international precedent is a step towarddestabilization.
http://www.hellenicnews.com/readnews.html?newsid=8964&lang=US


Although political party platforms in America�s modern era have littleimpact on the policy positions of subsequently elected Presidents, itis better not to have negative platform language. As they have done onmany substantive legislative and executive branch issues, Ros-Lehtinenand Bilirakis overcame significant forces to move the Republican PartyPlatform in the right direction on this issue.


There is no mention of "Macedonia" or FYROM in the platform, nor doesit make reference to Greece or Turkey. With regard to Cyprus, itstates, in full, "We support the ongoing reconciliation efforts inCyprus and Northern Ireland…"


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