Targeting Turkey: Blinken Says Renewed Greece/US Deal To Stabilize Eastern Mediterranean

Reuters

Stabilize the Eastern Mediterranean??? Not a chance in hell. Just thinking about what the US did in Libya, makes clear this has nothing to do with stabilizing the region

Birth Pangs…

WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) – The United States and Greece signed an agreement on Thursday renewing their long-standing defence cooperation, a move Secretary of State Antony Blinken said would allow the NATO allies to advance security in the Eastern Mediterranean region and beyond.

And beyond? How far beyond?

The two countries, which have strong political and economic ties, renewed their agreement for five years with an understanding that from then onward, it would remain in place indefinitely unless one of the parties chooses to withdraw.

The United States has several military bases in Greece and the amendment will allow their defense agreement to “remain in force” indefinitely, Blinken said at the signing ceremony alongside Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.

Dendias said the U.S. commitment to Greece showed that both countries are determined to safeguard and protect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The two governments expressed the joint desire to assist each other in maintaining strong and capable militaries and increase their modernization and interoperability,” the State Department said.

It also highlighted some of Greece’s recent upgrades of F-16 jets and Sikorsky helicopters, adding that Washington also welcomed Athens’ expression of interest to join the F-35 fighter jet program.

The two countries‘ deepening cooperation comes as U.S. ties with Greece’s neighbor Turkey remain strained. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program after it purchased Russian missile defense systems, which the United States says threatens its stealth jets.

Greece signed a new defense pact with France last month that will allow them to come to each other’s aid in the event of an external threat, but which has stirred further tensions with Turkey.