“Greece is a pillar of stability in the region,” says Mike Pompeo

“Greece is a pillar of stability in the region,” said US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Tuesday, during joint statements with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Souda, Crete. He expressed his support for Greece and the Greek government.

Pompeo said it was the first time that a US Secretary of State has visited Greece twice in such a short space of time. He made a special reference to the very strong military relationship between Greece and the United States.

He added that “Greece is a pillar of stability in the region” and that “the US is very proud to support the leadership of the Greek government and the military leadership.”

Pompeo said, among others, that the two countries are  working to make progress on the issues discussed a year ago regarding the defense cooperation agreement reached last year.

The US Secretary of State stressed that it was a strategic choice to permanently dock the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams helicopter ship at the Souda base, because it is a strategic position and symbolizes the strategic cooperation that exists and will continue to grow.

Deeply impressed by my visit to @NSA_SoudaBay. Thanks to the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement @NikosDendias and I signed last year, our military-to-military relationship has been enhanced significantly. The strong @NATO Alliance continues to contribute to regional security. pic.twitter.com/xOORGIn2Gt

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 29, 2020

Regarding Greek-Turkish affairs, he said that the US supports discussion between NATO members, “as between Turkey and Greece”, adding that he has spoken with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about the progress being made in NATO and expressing the hope that these talks can continue in a serious way.

On his part, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that “Greece-US relations have never been so close and productive.”

“Souda is emerging as the most strategic location of the wider region. Here, the interests of our two countries meet, along with those of security and peace,” Mitsotakis added.

Υποδεχόμαστε τον @SecPompeo στην Κρήτη. Οι σχέσεις Ελλάδας – ΗΠΑ δεν υπήρξαν ποτέ τόσο στενές όσο σήμερα. Και η Σούδα αναδεικνύεται ως το πιο στρατηγικό σημείο της ευρύτερης περιοχής. Εδώ συναντώνται τα συμφέροντα των χωρών μας, μαζί με εκείνα της ασφάλειας και της ειρήνης. pic.twitter.com/NRlCNtjEI2

— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) September 29, 2020

“The upgraded agreement for mutual defense cooperation between Greece and the USA extends its action to the area of our joint defense industry, with its spearhead being the modernization of 84 F-16s but also with joint program and very important joint investments in Greek shipyards,” the prime minister noted.

“However, it is expanding to other fields and areas. As in Alexandroupolis, which is emerging as a hub for the transfer of US natural gas to [Europe]…and the privatization of the port is underway. The same applies to the port of Kavala,” he added.

“An important new bilateral agreement was signed for private-public partnerships in the field of innovation. This is another proof of the leading role that Greece plays in the Balkans, to which it is returning dynamically after an absence of almost 10 years,” Mitsotakis said.

He added that “our peninsula is a geographical point where many of the common interests of Greece and the USA are gathered. Thessaloniki is and will always be their dynamic base.”

Stressing that in his discussions with Pompeo, security issues in the Eastern Mediterranean remained predominant, he said that the area is a “sensitive” one and “has recently been tested by the aggression of Turkey.” Mitsotakis said and explained:

“With provocative actions outside of international law, with an unnecessarily extreme rhetoric that charges the atmosphere but also with tacticisms that do not often confirm the sincerity of its intentions,” Mitsotakis said.

“The Greek response to all the challenges is always the defense of our national rights,” the prime minister underlined.