The 29th Congress of the International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus" (PSEKA) begins on Tuesday in Washington, in the light of the crucial period Cyprus is going through.
During the three-day works of the Congress, about 100 delegates from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom will have the opportunity to meet with US administration officials and members of Congress and the Senate.
On Tuesday, the delegates will be briefed by Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, responsible for Cyprus, Eric Rubin about the views of the US administration concerning the negotiations for a Cyprus settlement which are expected to begin later this year.
On Thursday they will be briefed at the White House by a senior official of the National Security Council.
The Cypriot government will be represented at the Congress by Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides. The works will also be attended by Mayor of Famagusta Alexis Galanos and Mayor of Kythrea Petros Kareklas, as well as foreign guests.
At the gala dinner on Wednesday, Archbishop of America Demetrios will be honoured, as well as Greek-American businessman Dennis Michel, and head of the Democrats in the House Committee of Foreign Affairs Elliot Engel.
The Congress will begin after the conclusion of the Global Forum of the American Jewish Committee in Washington, to be attended by senior PSEKA members.
In statements, PSEKA President Philip Christopher said the Congress was taking place during trying times for Cyprus, both politically and financially.
He said that politically, the Cyprus problem is one of invasion, occupation and settling, noting that hundreds of thousands of Turks have settled in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, while the island`s cultural heritage is being destroyed and a Moslem fundamentalist regime is being set up.
Christopher said that EU and US officials are trying to exploit the financial crisis to impose a solution to the Cyprus problem which would be unfair for the Greek Cypriots.
He pointed out that the Congress offers the opportunity to remind the members of the Congress and the US administration that the Greek Cypriot would not give up the struggle.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
