Pyatt: Greece enjoys US support on important foreign policy issues

The Prime Minister’s Advisor on National Security, Mr. Thanos Dokos, the US Ambassador to Athens, Mr. Geoffrey Pyatt, the SYRIZA Adviser on Diplomacy, Mr. Evangelos Kalpadakis; discussed the development of US-Greek bilateral relations. The discussion held in the context of the 3rd Conference on South-Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean co-organized by the Delphi Economic Forum and the Hellenic-American Leadership Council, was moderated by Ms. Lena Argyri, ERT Correspondent in the USA.

Mr. Dokos said that our country is in an uncertain and unstable neighborhood, but with some stable, such as strong US-Greece ties. “Greece, by serving some basic rules (respect for international rules and the peaceful settlement of disputes), is now a pillar of stability in the region,” he said. Our country’s position in the Ukrainian crisis is not without cost, but we are willing to pay for it. No winner will emerge from this crisis. Our goal must be “the next day”, both in the energy sector, with the creation of pipelines that make us – as Europe – energy independent as much as possible from Russia, as well as strategically. We must work to improve Europe’s security architecture. We – as a country – in particular need to become more resilient. “

Mr Pyatt said the country had successfully recovered from more than a decade of economic crisis. “During my tenure I worked closely with the governments of the United States and Greece in the effort to rebuild the country in the field of economy, to ensure political stability, but also in the field of foreign policy,” he said. He added that important steps have been taken, especially in the field of foreign policy, such as the Prespa Agreement, which is now of great importance in the Ukrainian crisis as Northern Macedonia is now a member of NATO. Mr. Pyatt stressed that “Greece is on the right side of history and enjoys US support on important foreign policy issues, such as Turkey’s aggressive rhetoric.”

Mr. Kalpadakis said that our country has focused on issues of economic perspective but also on strengthening its diplomatic agenda. “Greece is now a center for energy development and has successfully tackled the economic and refugee crisis.” He also stressed that Greece will not tolerate any revision of the Lausanne Treaty, nor any other provocative demands of Turkey.

Mr. Koumoutsakos stressed the enormous importance of the Mutual Defense & Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) for both the United States and Greece. It is a beneficial cooperation for Greece, as it strengthens the country’s role, both diplomatically and politically and strategically. It is also a response to Russian totalitarianism, where Greece’s cooperation with the United States at the defense level makes it even more resilient as a country and as a member of NATO. For the US, this cooperation is important as the southern borders of NATO, ie Greece, are strengthened.

The new refugee / immigration crisis that emerges from the crisis in Ukraine “is the new reality” for Europe, Koumoutsakos said, and regretted that Europe still lacks coherence in its refugee policy. “What is needed is a common, coherent strategy for all countries, and perhaps now countries that have resisted the common refugee strategy and are now facing the most serious problems from the migration of Ukrainians, namely Hungary and Poland, to reconsider their position. them, he added.