US Embassy Visit

July 27

This morning, we returned to the classroom for our lessons. In Dr. Dimitriou’s Foreign Policy class, our group prepared for our briefing at the US Embassy. To prepare, the class session covered issues that included, the Cyprus dispute, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Greece, the economy, and possible foreign investment in Greece. After our session, we enjoyed a traditional Greek lunch at our favorite taverna in Plaka.

Following lunch, our group assembled in business casual attire and headed to the US Embassy for our briefing with the Hon. Daniel B. Smith, US Ambassador to Greece. After we went through security, we headed to a conference room for our briefing with the Ambassador. To begin the session, each member of the Journey family introduced themselves to the Ambassador. Following introductions, the Ambassador began the meeting by explaining how loyal an ally Greece has been, especially recently with its assistance in evacuating Americans from Libya. The Ambassador then discussed the possibility that Turkey could join the European Union and Agenda 2014, which aims to have all Balkan countries join the EU. Hon. Smith then emphasized that the United States supports Greece’s work in tackling its debt crisis and believes that this situation is an opportunity to make changes that were desperately needed. The Ambassador also stated that Greece must make itself a more viable option for foreign investment by changing laws and policy that make it difficult to invest in our Motherland.

Following the Ambassador’s initial statements, our group had a question and answer session. Questions posed during this period included, “What is being done to stop the illegal trafficking of Greek cultural artifacts to the United States, what specific legislation can Greece introduce to make itself more marketable for foreign investment, what is the status of the FYROM name dispute, and why was Secretary Clinton not more forceful in advocating for a solution to the Cyprus issue? Following our questions, the Ambassador spoke about internship opportunities with the US State Department and took our customary group photo. Before leaving the Embassy, we took gathered around a statue of former Secretary of State George Marshall, which was generously donated by the Order of AHEPA, and took another group photo. After our briefing, our group relaxed for the evening and prepared for our next day of classes.