III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 51 

Recognizing the 190th anniversary of the independence of Greece and 

celebrating Greek and American democracy. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2011 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Ms. SNOWE) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 190th anniversary of the independence of 

Greece and celebrating Greek and American democracy. 

Whereas the ancient Greeks developed the concept of democracy, in which the supreme power to govern was vested 

in the people; 

Whereas the Founding Fathers of the United States, many 

of whom read Greek political philosophy in the original 

Greek, drew heavily on the political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our representative 

democracy; 

Whereas Greek Commander in Chief Petros Mavromichalis, a 

founder of the modern Greek state, said to the citizens 

of the United States in 1821 that ‘‘it is in your land that 

liberty has fixed her abode and . . . in imitating you, we 


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•SRES 51 IS 

shall imitate our ancestors and be thought worthy of 

them if we succeed in resembling you’’; 

Whereas the Greek national anthem, the ‘‘Hymn to Liberty’’, 

includes the words, ‘‘Most heartily was gladdened George 

Washington’s brave land’’; 

Whereas the people of the United States generously offered 

humanitarian assistance to the Greek people during their 

struggle for independence; 

Whereas Greece played a major role in the World War II 

struggle to protect freedom and democracy through such 

bravery as was shown in the historic Battle of Crete, 

which provided the Axis land war with its first major setback, setting off a chain of events that significantly affected the outcome of World War II; 

Whereas hundreds of thousands of Greek civilians were killed 

in Greece during World War II in defense of the values 

of the Allies; 

Whereas, throughout the 20th century, Greece was one of a 

few countries that allied with the United States in every 

major international conflict; 

Whereas Greece is a strategic partner and ally of the United 

States in bringing political stability and economic development to the volatile Balkan region, having invested 

more than $20,000,000,000 in the countries of the region, thereby helping to create more than 200,000 new 

jobs, and having contributed more than $750,000,000 in 

development aid for the region; 

Whereas Greece actively participates in peacekeeping and 

peace-building operations conducted by international organizations including the United Nations, the North AtVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:44 Feb 16, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR51.IS SR51

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lantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and the 

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; 

Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its extraordinary handling during the 2004 Olympic Games of more 

than 14,000 athletes and more than 2,000,000 spectators 

and journalists, a feat Greece handled efficiently, securely, and with hospitality; 

Whereas Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets 

Islam and Judaism, maintains excellent relations with 

Muslim nations and Israel; 

Whereas the Government of Greece has taken important 

steps in recent years to further cross-cultural understanding and rapprochement with Turkey, as seen by 

Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou’s trip to 

Turkey, just days after being elected and the Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Greece 

in May 2010, during which Greece and Turkey established a Joint Ministerial Council, made up of 10 ministers from each country, to discuss tangible ways to enhance cooperation in various fields of interest; 

Whereas Greece and the United States are at the forefront 

of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and 

human rights; 

Whereas those and similar ideals have forged a close bond between Greece and the United States; and 

Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to 

celebrate March 25, 2011, Greek Independence Day, with 

the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great nations were born: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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1 (1) extends warm congratulations and best 

2 wishes to the people of Greece as they celebrate the 

3 190th anniversary of the independence of Greece; 

4 (2) expresses support for the principles of 

5 democratic governance to which the people of Greece 

6 are committed; and 

7 (3) notes the important role that Greece has 

8 played in the wider European region and in the com9 munity of nations since gaining its independence 

10 190 years ago. 

Æ 


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