Honorable Representative:

Rep. Bonnen has introduced House Resolution 107 for the 78th Texas Legislature, which states that Macedonia is Greek and the inhabitants of Northern Greece are descendents of the ancient Macedonians. The text of the resolution is attached.

It appears that this resolution has been prepared and is promoted by a Greek-American lobbying group with the curious name “Pan Macedonian Association”. The Texas State Legislature is simply being used to advance its nationalistic and intolerant goals.

We respectfully request that you oppose the passing of House Resolution 107 in the Texas legislature for the following reasons:

· Legislating genetics and ancient history is not the charge of the Texas legislature. The historians and geneticist are quite capable of resolving these issues and they are doing so albeit not in the way the promoters of this resolution would like them to.

· The statements in the resolution that the ancient Macedonians were Hellenes and that the inhabitants of northern Greece are their descendants are false. It is widely agreed in the academic community that the ancient Macedonians were distinct from the Hellenes. No genetic study has ever shown a link between the modern Greeks and ancient Macedonians; the few related studies point in exactly the opposite direction.

· This resolution is hostile to Macedonian Americans and to the people of Macedonia and represents an attempt to disturb the friendly relationship between Macedonia and the US. Macedonia is a country in the south of the Balkans that is a friend and an ally of the US that has been willing and able to help the US whenever needed. During the war in Yugoslavia, the support of Macedonia, the only viable land route to Kosovo, was instrumental in sparing the lives of many young American soldiers. Greece, on the other hand, was hampering the US war effort in Yugoslavia in every way it could.

· While the relations between Greece and Macedonia have been tense at times they have been steadily improving and the few remaining open issues between them appear close to resolution. Passing HR 107 in the Texas Legislature would interfere with improving those relations and with the fragile peace process in the Balkans.

We hope that you will look at these issues and oppose HR 107. We would be glad to provide any additional information on this issue that you may need. More information can also be found on our web site at www.macedonianamerican.org

The Macedonian American Friendship Association is a not for profit organization of Macedonian Americans dedicated to improving and maintaining the friendship between Macedonia and the US. A number of its members reside in the Great State of Texas

Sincerely,

Dr Vasil Babamov, President

Unacceptable resolution follows:

WHEREAS, Philip of Macedonia, his son, Alexander the Great, and his tutor, Aristotle, were born and raised in the northern province of Greece, Macedonia; and

WHEREAS, The language and culture of the ancient Macedonians, the ancestors of the inhabitants of northern Greece of today, were Hellenic; and

WHEREAS, The Macedonians, like the rest of the Hellenes in antiquity, believed in the 12 gods of Olympus and participated with their fellow Hellenes in the Olympic Games; and

WHEREAS, Pella, the palace where Alexander the Great was born, and Vergina, the burial site of the Macedonian kings, are all located in northern Greece; and

WHEREAS, The history of ancient Macedonia has been Hellenic for the last 3,000 years and continues to be today; now, therefore,

be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas Legislature hereby recognize that the ancient Macedonians are Hellenes and that the inhabitants of the northern province of Greece, Macedonia, are their Hellenic descendants.