Σάββατο 23 Δεκεμβρίου 2017

AHI E-news: AHI Presentation in Athens Focuses on Greece as Strategic Partner


AHI Presentation in Athens Focuses on Greece as Strategic Partner

In exclusive interview, To VIMA speaks with AHI President

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) hosted a panel presentation featuring U.S. Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt as keynote speaker, Nov. 29, 2017, at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece.  Ambassador Pyatt, and four panelists, which included Greece’s Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas, all spoke on the topic, “Greece as Strategic Partner in the Eastern Mediterranean.” More than 200 persons attended. 
AHI President Nick Larigakis opened the panel discussion with welcome remarks that focused on AHI initiatives that serve to strengthen the United States-Greece relationship.
“AHI is committed to promoting Greece’s role as a reliable source of stability and peace in the region,” Larigakis said. “AHI programs have promoted the strategic relationship between the United States and Greece by virtue of hosting Greece’s military leaders for presentations to important representatives of the defense sector in Washington, for example.” 
He added, “Greece is also important ally because of its shared strategic interests and values with the United States as evidenced by the access Greece provides to NSA Souda Bay and by Greece’s commitment to energy security, working with Israel, Cyprus, and Egypt in this regard.”  
Ambassador Pyatt spoke in greater detail regarding the U.S.-Greece strategic partnership during his keynote address.
“I approach today’s topic, Greece as a Strategic Partner in the Eastern Mediterranean, from a very optimistic point of view,”  Ambassador Pyatt said in his remarks. “We are certainly at a high point in terms of Greece-U.S. relations, as we heard from President Trump in October that the United States considers Greece to be a pillar of stability in this volatile region, a trusted partner and ally, and a potential energy hub for Europe.”
The ambassador spoke about the security relationship between the United States and Greece, which includes military cooperation; Greece’s contributions to energy security in the region, the people-to-people relationship that is important facet to the U.S.-Greece strategic partnership, and the United States’ support for Greece’s economic recovery. 
About AHI, Ambassador Pyatt said: “AHI is one of the shining examples I often use of how Greece’s large American diaspora community can most constructively work with Greece and help us strengthen our bilateral relationship. I would count some of the programs that Nick and Tom talked about as important examples: AHI’s indispensable support for Prime Minister Tsipras’ recent visit to Washington, the tremendous programs that Nick and the team put together for Admiral Apostolakis, General Stefanis, Admiral Tsounis, all of our key partners…But these are examples of AHI’s truly unique role as a facilitator of the strategic relationship between the United States and Greece.”

Panel Presentation

The panel presentation that followed Ambassador Pyatt’s keynote address featured:  Hellenic Deputy Minister of National Defense Dimitris Vitsas, General Fragoulis Fragos, former chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff and former Minister of Defense; George S. Koumoutsakos, shadow minister of Foreign Affairs, New Democracy party and member of Parliament; and George Economou, AHI-Athens president.  Tom Ellis, senior international correspondent and columnist, Kathimerini, moderated the panel discussion.
Economou presented his remarks first, expounding on the thesis that Greece and Cyprus, together, are “par excellence strategic allies” of the West in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. He touched upon the alliance that Greece and Cyprus have developed with Israel and Egypt and its significance to energy security.  Economou also referenced NSA Souda Bay’s importance, and he contended that in combination with other bases in the region, the West should “terminate its dependence on Turkey.”

READGeneral Fragos’ remarks
Ομιλία του Επίτιμου Αρχηγού ΓΕΣ Στρατηγου Φράγκου Σ. Φραγκούλη στα αγγλικά
 http://greece4greeks.blogspot.gr/2017/12/greece-as-strategic-partner-in-eastern.html
Ομιλία του Επίτιμου Αρχηγού ΓΕΣ Στρατηγου Φράγκου Σ. Φραγκούλη  στα ελληνικά
http://greece4greeks.blogspot.gr/2017/12/blog-post_91.html
In his presentation, Koumoutsakos described Greece as being “… at the crossroads of three continents…” and Greece “…is a pivotal state with great strategic potential.” He also took the opportunity to present the New Democracy party’s views about the future path of Greece’s foreign policy. “The main focus will be to strengthen Greece’s partnerships and to establish the country as the effective gateway to Europe for energy resources from the Caucasus and the Eastern Mediterranean - and for solar energy from Egypt and North Africa - thus making a significant contribution to ensuring Europe’s energy security,” he said.  In particular, Koumoutsakos stated another priority will be given to developing Greece’s four-way strategic partnership with Cyprus, Egypt and Israel that will allow for stability in the eastern Mediterrane
http://greece4greeks.blogspot.gr/2017/12/greece-as-strategic-partner-in-eastern.html

http://greece4greeks.blogspot.gr/2017/12/blog-post_91.html


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