Greece an ‘indispensable partner’ with critical role in defending NATO’s SE flank, State department says
FILE PHOTO: Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel briefs reporters during the Daily Press Briefing at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. State Department photo by Freddie Everett
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The United States view Greece as an “indispensable partner” and a key ally, which plays a critical role in defending NATO’s southeastern flank, the State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Friday, in response to questions relating to the Greek foreign minister’s trip to Libya.
Patel had been asked by a Turkish reporter for Washington’s reaction concerning the refusal of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to meet with the foreign minister of the caretaker government in Tripoli and the fact that he had then travelled to Benghazi to meet with Khalifa Haftar.
The spokesperson replied that he had not seen reporting on this specific incident and had no specific reaction to offer but noted:
“But what I can say is that we view Greece as an indispensable partner and a key NATO Ally to the United States, and Greece plays a critical role in defending NATO’s southeastern flank. And today, together, the U.S. and Greece are advancing our shared goals for not just their immediate region but for Europe more broadly.”
To a follow-up question on whether Greece’s backing of Haftar in Benghazi was in line with U.S. policy, Patel again repeated:
“What I would just say, as I don’t have any specific reaction to offer, is that Greece is an indispensable partner and a key NATO Ally to the United States, and it plays an important role in protecting NATO’s southeastern flank but also helping the United States achieve its goals for the immediate Mediterranean region but also Europe more broadly.”
Source: ANA – MPA
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