Athens in the atmosphere of a Mitsotaki-Biden summit

Of Dimitris Gatsiou

With the ratification of our country’s defense agreement with the United States of America ratified by the Greek Parliament, the Prime Minister enters the final stage of his preparations for his three-day presence in Washington.

The internal meetings at the Maximos Palace for the, in every respect, thorough preparation of the visit will continue in the next few hours, with the focus of Athens focusing on the two extremely important milestones of the coming week.

Mr. Mitsotakis’s summit with US President Joe Biden and his speech at the joint meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which acquires special weight since it is the first time that a Greek Prime Minister will address the Congress.

This fact, as government officials point out, comes to demonstrate in all its scope the enhanced role of Greece, but also its upgraded image as a source of stability and security, in a critical area of ​​the world map.

“This agreement expands its scope and ceases to be a bilateral protocol. It is a vote of confidence in Greece, as an unshakable factor of stability in our neighborhood and in the wider region. As a prudent European and NATO partner that guarantees international legitimacy of our neighbors.

But also as a critical node in the new energy map that is being formed. In other words, I am talking about an Agreement that affects not only defense and diplomacy at the same time, but also the economy and energy.

“Above all, however, for an event that essentially upgrades Greece to the forefront of global developments”, was the characteristic disgust of the Prime Minister, from the floor of Parliament.

The agenda

As expected, a number of geostrategic, energy and economic issues will be on the agenda of the meeting between Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Biden, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changing global balances, creating new conditions and the need for multifaceted action.

Greece, as Mr. Mitsotakis hastened to emphasize, is treated by its allies as an equal and consistent ally and the three-day Prime Minister’s presence in the American capital is the maximum of the “keys” in order to further strengthen the Athens-Washington relations, which, as both sides note, they are at the best level of recent years.

Athens proposes its strategies in … geostrategic chess, proposes its moves to turn the country into an energy hub throughout Europe, proposes the logic of respect for international law, the law of the Sea and the rules of good neighborliness, aiming to highlight, in every way, the fact that it is a force for stability in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.

At the Mitsotaki-Biden summit, at the same time, the prime minister is expected to brief the US president on the Greek-Turkish developments, on the occasion of the neighbor’s latest provocative moves, which undermine European security and the unity of purpose of the North.

At the same time, the government staff is downgrading the scenarios circulated about the State Department pressuring Congress to upgrade 40 Turkish F-16 fighter jets, watching the whole issue calmly. The position of Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the Plenary Session is also characteristic, as well as the reports of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias.

“There seems to have been a procedural request at the US State Department to upgrade some of the F-16’s communications systems. I understand that has happened. US foreign policy is not just a matter for the government.

Indeed, there are many different voices in American foreign policy, some of which consider Turkey a crucial strategic partner, which should by no means be lost to America. This is a truth, you have found it too. “Not everyone believes 100% in the Greek positions”, said the prime minister, addressing the president of SYRIZA.

“The final decision on approval to upgrade arms exports is up to Congress. You know, I guess so. Isn’t that so? And you also know that Congress has so far refused to discuss in any way the sale of new weapons systems to Turkey, precisely because “They do not consider Turkey a reliable partner,” he said, adding that he would have the opportunity to address the House next Tuesday.