DECLARATION 2006

The Pan-Macedonian Association of the USA in a duly convened meeting at its 60th Annual Convention on June 29 to July 2, 2006, in Las Vegas, NV, declares the following:

1. We strongly oppose the recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia (The FYROM) as the "Republic of Macedonia" by the government of the United States of America.

2. We condemn the continued irredentist propaganda emanating from The FYROM, including the falsification of the Hellenic heritage of Macedonia.

3. We fully support the existence of a country north of Greece with the interim name of The FYROM. We support her efforts to join the EU and NATO, provided her official name does not include the term "Macedonia" or its derivatives. Further, we harbor no animosity or any ill feelings towards her citizens or her diaspora.

4. We shall never accept an Orthodox Church with the term "Macedonia" or its derivatives in its name.

5. We disagree with the official use of any legal document with the name of "Republic of Macedonia" within the Hellenic Republic.

6. We condemn terrorism in all of its forms.

7. Turkey must respect the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, which is a full EU member, it must immediately remove all its occupation troops, it must remove the illegal settlers who were brought to Cyprus from the mainland of Turkey, it must return all properties to the rightful owners and make all reparations to the Cypriots.

8. We regard the continued discriminatory acts, rules, and policy of Turkey against the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, as a violation of freedom of religion that is inconsistent with the country's aspirations to become a member of the European Union; such as the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, the restoration of the confiscated property of the Ecumenical

Patriarchate and of the property rights of Hellenes in Constantinople.

9. We demand recognition by the Turkish government of the genocide against the Pontian and other Christian Hellenes of Asia Minor.

10. We oppose the continuous violations by Turkey of the Greek territorial space.

11. We demand from the Republic of Bulgaria to return the Holy Relics that were stolen from the monasteries of Drama and Serres.

12. We demand the return of the Parthenon Marbles to the place of their origin.

13. The Kalash of the northern Himalayan region of the Hindu Kush Mountains of Pakistan are Hellenic descendants of the armies of Alexander the Great. The Kalash Indigenous people have sustained their ancient culture and traditions since the 4th century B.C., yet they are in danger of extinction. Being our Hellenic Macedonian brothers and sisters, we support their efforts to sustain their ethnic values and identity.

14. We support the Kalash proposal of "Bring the Glory Back" which is, to apply the rule of Law of Alexander the Great, as the guideline for the Security Council of the United Nations".

15. The retrieval of bones of Greek soldiers, who fell during WWII against the Italians in the mountains of Northern Epirus, is not an economic transaction, but a humanitarian issue and our national duty. The road of Albania to the European Union requires the Respect of Human, Political, Cultural, Religious and Educational Rights of ALL PEOPLES.

16. We urge all Greek-Americans to register to vote and exercise that right in the upcoming elections in November. We also urge them to influence their local, state and national Representatives to support the Hellenic national issues.

The Committee:

Panos Spiliakos

Nina Gatzoulis

Nina Peropoulos

Athanasios Vulgaropulos

Dr. Seraphim Papayiannis