The U.S. State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Palmer, declared on Saturday from the border city of Alexandroupolis that “We are here to underscore our firm commitment to this project, to this port, to support American investment and also we are here to demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Greece and the people of this region in a difficult time.”
“The uncontrolled movement of thousands of people who have been misled into believing that the road to Europe is open is fundamentally destabilizing. It’s unsustainable and it needs to change,” the American official added.
Palmer was in Alexandroupolis along with US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt to visit the port authority of the city, as the US is particularly interested in investing there.
“As the President [Trump] has made absolutely clear, Greece has the right to defend its borders. I personally have been impressed by the professionalism of the Greek security services along the borders, the way they have dealt with very challenging circumstances, and Greece has our support in what it’s doing both here in Evros and in the Aegean to ensure border security,” Palmer stated emphatically.
On his behalf, Ambassador Pyatt noted that his presence, as well as Assistant Secretary Palmer’s presence in the area, is a gesture of solidarity with the people of Eastern Macedonia, Thrace, and Evros, who have borne the brunt of thousands of migrants and refugees trying to enter Greece.
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