Friday, 5/23/97 Tsilas sheds light on Balkan unrest GREECE:
Ambassador from Greece discusses U.S.’s peacemaking role
By J. Sharon Yee Daily Bruin Contributor After months of
planning, the Hellenic-American Students Organization (HASO) and
UCLA’s honor society Pi Sigma Alpha were finally able to shed light
on Greek issues with their biggest speaker yet. Thursday, in front
of a packed room in the James West Alumni Center, Loucas Tsilas,
the Greek ambassador to the United States, spoke about the
political turmoil in southern Europe. Addressing a diverse crowd of
students and diplomats alike with a combination of humor and
dignity, Tsilas spoke about the roles the United States and Greece
play in confronting these issues. "It is not by coincidence that
the United States and Greece have such a close relationship,"
Tsilas said, referring to the overwhelming support the United
States gave Greece in its fight for independence in the beginning
of the century. He further discussed why and how both nations could
work together to promote unity and peace in the war-torn Balkan
nations and in Europe as a whole. "Excellent relations between
these two nations are instrumental in helping Europe adapt to
changing circumstances in an international environment," he
emphasized. Eastern Europe – the nations of the former Yugoslavia,
specifically – have undergone major political and economic changes
since the fall of communism in 1989. Issues that have come into
existence are those involving the enlargement of North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) to include these nations and the
instability of new economic conditions, he explained. Tsilas also
called for the importance of bringing together all countries, not
simply those in Europe, to help establish and strengthen security
in the region. Described as the "underbelly" of Europe, the Balkans
have consistently been involved in world politics, most memorably
as the location of the start of World War I when Archduke Ferdinand
of Austria was assassinated in Sarajevo. "It (the Balkans) is the
gate between North and South Europe, to the Middle East and
Africa," Tsilas said. "It has been the crossroads between the West
and the East." Therefore, it is a crucial element not only for
Europe, but also for the United States, he concluded. Introductory
speaker Steven Brinkoetter, a visiting lecturer in the department
of political science, began the discussion with remarks about
Greece’s involvement in the Balkans. "Greece has long been known as
the cradle of democracy ," he said. Greece, he added, is situated
around four of the five areas in the world where the United Nations
has sent peacekeeping forces. Brinkoetter further explained the
United States’ role in the Balkan crisis as extremely important, in
part due to the temporary Bosnia peace agreement signed in Dayton,
Ohio in 1994. "The United States has a stake in bringing enduring
peace to this region," he said. Greece’s role in bringing stability
to the region is also a large one, Brinkoetter added, because as a
member of NATO and a party to the region, it can offer a local
perspective to the source of the problem and offer relevant
solutions. Tsilas continued to discuss the instability of the
region. "There are relatively none or weak democratic institutions
and no free market in this area," he said. "The communication
regarding political and economic intercourse is also weak," he
added. One area of much-needed emphasis is the integration, both
economically and politically, of these nations with the existing
ones, Tsilas suggested. "The United States and Greece must
collectively be a launching pad and springboard of all efforts to
help strengthen the members and institutions of the European
community," he said. Tsilas also discussed an issue of equal
relevance: the shared occupation of the island of Cyprus between
Greece and Turkey. "All we want from our neighbors is cooperation
and peaceful co-existence," he said, referring to the constant
fighting over control of the island that began in 1964. He further
emphasized that there are more diplomatic, less violent ways to
address the differences between both groups. Though they have given
much support to the Greek cause, Tsilas said he does not want the
U.S. to take sides on the situation. "All I ask is that the U.S.
take a stand against the foreign occupation of land and the use of
unnecessary force," he said. Students afterwards expressed their
interest in Tsilas’ speech. "The whole area of southern Europe is
experiencing so much conflict that understanding the reasons behind
such problems really helps to prevent future ones from occurring,"
said Ilan Charnelle, the secretary of Pi Sigma Alpha. "It was
definitely a great honor for us to have him come speak," said
Patroklos Mavromatis, a member of HASO, noting that the ambassador
came specially from his office in Washington, D.C. to speak to UCLA
students. Petros Sakkis, the president of HASO, said he was both
surprised and pleased with the student turnout rate. "I think it’s
wonderful that so many people came to hear a man of such caliber,"
he said. Following a question and answer session, Tsilas concluded
with remarks about the importance of young people. "There is no
more important time than now to communicate with students about
these issues," he said. "Students are more open-minded and dynamic
so they can support and more actively promote peace." Also at the
event, the Spirit of Pericles Award was presented to Mortimer
Chambers, a professor of history and scholar of Greek history at
UCLA. SHAWN LAKSMI/Daily Bruin Greek ambassador Loucas Tsilas
speaks at the James West Alumni Center.