Senator Bob Menendez, speaking at Delphi, stressed the importance of a trilateral scheme between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, as well as the US (3 + 1) with a focus on energy, as well as the need to expand and deepen areas of cooperation. Forum via video message.

“The Greece-Cyprus-Israel trilateral scheme plus the US should be more than energy. We must be united with our military partners and allies. Our collective capabilities with Greece, Cyprus and Israel will be vital to deter future attacks in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“As we saw last year, dangerous leaders like Erdogan or Putin are ready to try and use energy as a weapon. The best defense against such an attack is to have strong alliances with like-minded partners who are willing to defend their democratic values. Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States are states that, I believe, are united by such common interests and values, ”said the chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

In this context, he expressed satisfaction that “we are starting to see some changes, including the removal of restrictions on the sale of weapons to Cyprus, and that Greece is ready to become the next recipient of the F-35.”

Re-emphasizing trilateral cooperation plus the US, Bob Menendez emphasized that this format will be a strong voice that will send common messages about the importance of territorial integrity, especially in maritime economic zones.

Mapping the landscape of the Eastern Mediterranean, he said that in today’s geopolitical landscape it faces many challenges and that it is a region full of incredible promise.

In particular, he noted that as European countries move away from Russian energy sources, the Eastern Mediterranean has already proven its potential as part of the solution, and said he was proud to have personally led Congress on this issue. He recalled that he wrote and approved a law on security and energy partnership in the Eastern Mediterranean, “which allows the creation of a new energy center that will help to fully exploit the energy potential of the region.”

In fact, he expressed his determination to continue supporting key regional infrastructure projects such as the electrical connection of Europe with Africa and Asia through Cyprus and Greece, expressing his confidence that they will contribute to a better connection of the Eastern Mediterranean with the Western Balkans. Central Europe, Moldova and Ukraine.

He especially noted the geostrategic and energy importance of Alexandroupolis. “It serves as an important military hub for the US and NATO and is currently being transformed into an energy hub with a new liquefied natural gas plant,” he said, noting that “it is extremely encouraging to see that we have foreseen that Alexandroupoli could become a vital asset.” for the security of the West.”

In fact, he promised that the US will continue to work with Ambassador Giorgos Tsunis and their Greek partners, continue to invest and develop to the point where they can truly become the Northern Court.

“All these efforts will pay security dividends by making the region less dependent on fossil fuels from Russia and other autocracies,” he added.

Also, the American senator emphasized the inter-parliamentary cooperation between Greece and the United States and its institutionalization, complementing the intergovernmental one.

Source: RES-IPE