“After the latest developments, we will take a fresh look at everything,” said Dr. Assistant Secretary of State for International Affairs and Environment Dr. Andrew Light, answering a question about the US stance on the Eastmed gas pipeline.
The pipeline is planned to transport gas from the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe via Greece, but an unofficial US State Department position – before the invasion of Ukraine – described the project as economically unsustainable.
The position of Dr. Light was part of the 3rd conference on Southeastern Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Balkans in Washington. He praised the role of Greece in the wider region both for the transition to green energy and for the independence from Russian gas. “We have not only the green transition, but also the transition away from Russia,” he said.
At the same conference, former Energy Minister Giannis Maniatis stressed that the Eastern Mediterranean is the only alternative to decoupling from Russian gas, by exploiting the deposits in Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and the potential in Greece. He stressed that all the studies that have been done for the Eastmed pipeline confirm that the project is technically and economically viable, something that is much more valid today, after the invasion of Ukraine, while he reminded that it has been included in the list of projects of common EU interest. Mr. Maniatis estimated that “if we behave smartly” in the coming years we can see a better future in the Eastern Mediterranean, safer and more peaceful, with better bilateral and tripartite relations between all countries in the region. He proposed upgrading Washington to the current 3 + 1 cooperation scheme between Greece, Cyprus, Israel on the one hand and the US on the other, while proposing long-term contracts for the supply of liquefied natural gas from the US so that there is more stability, both for producers and consumers in Europe.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Alexandra Sdoukou noted that with the support of the United States a series of projects have been implemented and new ones are planned that contribute to security of supply of the country and the Balkans and highlight Greece’s strategic role in the region. These include the TAP gas pipelines, Greece – Bulgaria, which is expected to be operational soon, the interconnection with Northern Macedonia, the floating liquefied natural gas station in Alexandroupolis, the electricity interconnections with Cyprus and Egypt, etc.
SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
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