The US called on Greece and Turkey this week “to work together to maintain peace” in the region after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated this week he would not have any further discussions with Greek President Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
With tensions high between the two countries, US State Department spokesman Ned Price called on Greece and Turkey “to resolve differences diplomatically,” urging the fellow NATO allies to “avoid rhetoric that could further raise tensions.”
“We know that Greece is an indispensable partner, and a key NATO ally to the United States. Similarly, Turkey is an important partner of the United States and important NATO ally,” Price said.
“We want to see our partners work together to maintain peace and security in the region.”
Last week, Mitsotakis addressed a joint session of Congress during an official visit to the US and urged them not to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
In response to this, Erdogan said that the US would not likely consult with the Greek President regarding the F-16’s.
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This statement comes as the new US Ambassador to Greece, George Tsunis meets with Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias in Athens.
US Ambassador George Tsunis addressed his first briefing since taking up his new role this week and said that the strong and historic relationship that the US has with Greece is due to the trust they have to act in reliable ways.
The ambassador’s comments related to Greece’s role as an energy hub and a factor of stability in the region.
Tsunis said that the US planned to invest in the electricity grid to strengthen the interconnection between Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt. He said the system could send electricity to the Balkans and as far as Moldova and Ukraine, while Greece’s economy would also gain from the passage fees.
“Greece’s greatest advantage is its cultural heritage, the US ambassador said, especially its very highly skilled pool of workers,” said the US Ambassador.
“The solid US-Greece relationship in geopolitical terms allows Greece to mature in other sectors, especially in economic, business and investment bilateral relations.”
Source: AA, Ekathimerini
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