Greece and Turkey reached the brink of conflict in the summer of 2020 and we needed to “work hard to help prevent things from getting out of hand,” outgoing US Ambassador to Athens Jeffrey Payat told Kathimerini. that the scene was more dramatic than what was shown in the media.
“You heard US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo say we thought this was a very serious crisis and we worked hard to help keep things out of control. Conditions are much better today, despite the continuing unacceptable activities,” he said. “The arrogance, the rhetorical exaggeration, the stupid statements about challenging the sovereignty of the islands, which from the American side is indisputable.”
“The strategic landscape around the Aegean, the Black Sea, Asia Minor has changed dramatically since February 24, and I think the developments in Ukraine make it more important for the US to do what it can to ensure that “Turkey will behave like a good NATO ally towards all its neighbors. It is not the time for distractions, whether they are created by politics, rhetoric or military maneuvers.”
With regard to security guarantees, the outgoing US Ambassador to Athens points out that “there is Article 5. You have heard from President Biden a very clear commitment to it and the willingness to provide US forces, equipment and funds to strengthen and to defend this guarantee “.
Asked if it could be implemented “even if the threat comes from within the Alliance”, Mr Payat noted that “Article 5 is the cornerstone of everything we do in our security relationship with the Greece and NATO “.
Ahead of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s visit to Washington and meeting with Joe Biden, Mr Payat said he was aware of the importance of the invitation to the US President himself and to the US Government as a whole. with Greece.
He added that they would discuss, among other things, the ongoing efforts with allies and partners to support the Ukrainian people and impose financial sanctions on Russia for its unprovoked invasion, energy security and cooperation with Greece on natural gas.
Source: Capital
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