U.S. Senate has voted down a proposal to grant Turkey two Perry Class frigates, the U.S.S. Halyburton (FFG–40) and the U.S.S. Thach (FFG–43), after it had received initial approval in the House of Representatives.
The Hellenic American Leadership Council had lobbied furiously to block the bill’s passage and conducted a calling and letter-writing campaign to members of Congress.
The HALC mobilized its national network that convinced Senators not to go along with the House vote, which was done by voice and not a roll call, despite some strenuous objections. HALC said, however, that the bill will be reintroduced at the beginning of the 113th Congress.
Several Senators spoke out against the bill, noting Turkish tension with Israel, a close American ally, and Cypriot-Americans also galvanized opposition. Turkish ambitions for hydrocarbon researches in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus, in which a U.S. company had also participated, emerged extensively.
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