US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Speaks to Greek Foreign Minister

A US State Department spokesman told the press late on Monday that the new Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, spoke with Greek Foreign Minister Nikolaos Dendias today.

Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Dendias emphasized their commitment to further strengthening U.S.-Greece bilateral relations, including through the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue and the 3+1 process with Cyprus and Israel, and close cooperation on defense, energy diversification, and stability in the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.

Secretary Blinken welcomed Greece’s sustained leadership in advancing the Transatlantic and European integration of the Western Balkans. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister reaffirmed the historic importance of North Macedonia’s NATO accession.

Relations have reached “the highest level ever”

In addition, the Secretary voiced support for ongoing exploratory talks between NATO Allies Greece and Turkey and congratulated Greece on the occasion of the Greek Bicentennial celebrations this year.

In a series of four Tweets, Dendias stated that after his phone conversation with Blinken, it was clear that both nations “recognized that bilateral relations between the two countries have reached their highest level ever.”

“In this context,” he continued, “ways of further enhancing the strategic cooperation were examined, with special emphasis on the energy and defense fields. I informed my US counterpart on the deepening of relations with the countries of the Middle East and the Gulf, both bilaterally and in a multilateral context.”

The greek Foreign Secretary concluded his Twitter remarks by saying “I also spoke about developments in the broader region, including Libya, Syria, and the Eastern Mediterranean, making also reference to Turkish actions.”

Mutual desire to deepen cooperation

Last September, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid an official visit to Greece, where the Secretary and Dendias reaffirmed their countries’ excellent bilateral relations and mutual desire to further deepen cooperation in a series of areas in a meeting in Thessaloniki.

The areas discussed were wide-ranging, including defense and security as well as investment, energy, education and culture, according to a joint statement released after the meeting.

The two officials conducted a high-level review of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue as well, ahead of the third Strategic Dialogue, to be held in Washington in 2021. On the occasion of this high-level review, they confirmed the two countries’ mutual desire to deepen their cooperation in many areas.

I spoke by phone to US FM @StateDept @SecBlinken. Both recognized that bilateral relations between the two countries have reached their highest level ever. (1/4)

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) February 15, 2021

In this context, ways of further enhancing the strategic cooperation were examined, with special emphasis on the energy and defence fields. (2/4)

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) February 15, 2021

I informed my US counterpart on the deepening of relations with the countries of the Middle East and the Gulf, both bilaterally and in a multilateral context. (3/4)

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) February 15, 2021

I also spoke about developments in the broader region, including Libya, Syria, and the Eastern Mediterranean, making also reference to Turkish actions. (4/4)

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) February 15, 2021