Is it not the right time for an apology by the United States?

November 17th marks the anniversary of a student revolt against the US-backed military junta of Athens in 1973.

This 7 years long dictatorship which collapsed in July 1974 and let to the Turkish military invasion and since then occupation of the northern part of Cyprus.

24 people were murdered by the junta forces that night of November 17th 1973 in Athens. Thousands of others were jailed, tortured or displaced, or even suffered economic sanctions and social discrimination, during the dictatorship — proudly including my father, my grandfather and two of my uncles.

Strategic relationships can only be founded on a ground of truth and mutual respect. The United States of America and the Hellenic Republic are supposed to be trying to build such a strategic relationship the last decade or so.

I am wondering then, is it not the right time for the US to issue a sincere apology to the victims of the military junta which they orchestrated in the '60s and supported in the ’70s?

Many of these victims are still alive and would find great comfort out of such a generous move by the world’s most powerful nation.