Secretary of State Kerry Offers Greek Independence Day Statement

Kerry's statement can be read in full below:

"On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of Greece on the 194th anniversary of your independence.

Our two nations are united by shared values like democracy, freedom, and liberty; all first articulated in the agoras of ancient Greece.

As NATO Allies and transatlantic partners, we have fought for these values against all threats to our ways of life, including the forces of tyranny, fascism, and terrorism.

Men and women from Athens to Kalamata have also forged a rich tradition on American soil, including in my home state of Massachusetts. Thousands of Greek-Americans raise their families in my hometown of Boston. They helped build American industry in the factories of Lowell along the Merrimack River. And they've strengthened our democracy as elected officials, having occupied the Governor's suite in the State House and the U.S. Senate seat I once held in Washington, D.C.

On this joyous occasion, I wish all people of Greece peace and a return to prosperity.

Συγχαρητήρια!"

(Source: U.S. Embassy Athens)