The upgraded Greece-US Mutual Defense & Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) signed on Thursday shows the United States and President Joe Biden’s commitment to stability and prosperity of the Balkans and the East Mediterranean, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias said in an interview to Associated Press.
As he pointed out, the agreement was signed at a time when the United States focus has switched to the Indian and Pacific Oceans region, therefore it highlights the continuing US commitment to Greece and the region.
Among other things, Dendias said that American presence is still needed in the SE Mediterranean, and reiterated that Greece wishes Turkey to be included in similar agreements in the future, as long as it observes international laws.
He also noted that the defense agreement signed οn September 28 between Greece and France does not restrict NATO’s role but augments it.
Bilateral relations and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean at the heart of the meeting N. Dendias and A. Blinken
According to diplomatic sources, the first bilateral working meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias with his US counterpart Antony Blinken took place in a cordial atmosphere, while, as they stressed, it lasted longer than originally planned.
During the meeting, the US Secretary of State spoke positively about the leading role of Greece, which is based on common values with the US and is strengthened with other like-minded countries.
He also referred to the meeting he had the day before with the ministers of Israel and the United Arab Emirates, on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords.
On his part, the Greek foreign minister underlined the values and principles that have governed Greek foreign policy over time and stressed the strengthening of relations with countries beyond the immediate neighborhood of Greece, such as India and Australia, which, as well as Greece, are committed to the implementation and respect of International Maritime Law, said the same sources.
Nikos Dendias also referred to the strengthening of the 3+1 scheme (Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the USA), which could be transformed into a four-party cooperation scheme, and possibly a multilateral one with the inclusion of other countries in the region, such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
On the occasion of the signing of the amendment to the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, the US state secretary spoke about a “special relationship” between Greece and the USA.
He also noted that this agreement would facilitate the expansion and deepening of the bilateral strategic partnership.
On the occasion of the recent agreement with France, he added that the US was very satisfied with the fact that Greece supplied its defense equipment within the “NATO family”.
Nikos Dendias, on his part, underlined Greece’s particularly close ties both with the United States and within NATO.
He added that the agreement with France strengthened European defense and security while strengthening the transatlantic link through a more balanced burden-sharing.
He stressed that Greece respected and implemented its commitments to NATO, such as the amount of defense spending (over 2% of GDP).
The discussion then focused on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the Western Balkans.
In this context, the Greek foreign minister briefed his US counterpart thoroughly on the Turkish provocative behavior, showing him relevant maps.
He stressed the threat of war that Turkey is bringing back to the fore more and more often (casus belli) as well as the Turkish-Libyan memorandum.
Nikos Dendias noted that apart from the fact that the above violated fundamental rules of international law, they did not fall within the framework of common sense.
Under these circumstances, the scope for reconciliation with Turkey, and as long as the latter does not change its position, remains very limited, he added.
The Greek foreign minister also referred to the uncompromising stance of Turkey and the leader of the Turkish Cypriots, which did not leave much room for optimism for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
He also informed in detail about the strengthening of Greece’s ties with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the stabilizing role that Greece plays in the Western Balkans.
Finally, the US side expressed its special satisfaction with the prospect of Greece becoming an energy hub that will supply natural gas to South-Eastern and Central Europe.
Source: ANA-MPA