SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras met with a visiting delegation of members of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in Athens on Thursday.
They discussed Greek-American relations, global developments following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the escalation of Turkish aggression in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to a party announcement.
Tsipras expressed Syriza’s support for promoting the Strategic Dialogue for Greek-American relations, the party noted, with particular emphasis in economy and energy.
The main opposition party leader underlined the need for the strategic-defense relations of the two countries to develop on a mutually beneficial basis, with tangible commitments for Greece’s defense.
Tsipras thanked the members of Congress who supported Greek positions, especially the EastMed Act that was promoted in 2018.
Syriza’s announcement said that he expressed the strong discomfort of Greek people for the US’s stance in relation to the Eastmed pipeline, and the non-condemnation of Turkey’s overflights and violations of Greek airspace, and the sale of F16s to Turkey; he emphasized that his party supports any initiative of the Congress and of the Senate towards changing American policy in these areas, and that a new costly arms race between Greece and Turkey cannot be part of any solution.
He also underlined that Turkey’s integration into the new Western security and energy architecture without the condition of respect for International Law will have adverse consequences for the region
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
