After saying relations with Greece were the best ever under the former ruling Radical Left SYRIZA – which had been anti-American and anti-NATO – the United States is set to convince the new New Democracy government to allow expanded military operations in the country.
That would come later in the year through the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) as part of the Strategic Dialogue between the two countries that ironically had gotten better under SYRIZA before New Democracy easily won July 7 snap elections.
A senior American official who wasn’t named told Kathimerini newspaper that the US wants to change the agreement, that has been renewed every year since 1990, to increase the number of facilities that host American units – including unmanned drones, to be hosted at bases for limited periods.
The official added that a more “flexible” agreement of this nature will pave the way for the US to finance facilities and other support work and reportedly praised Greece’s “responsible” stance over increased Turkish provocations in the Aegean and East Mediterranean, including drilling for energy in Cypriot sovereign waters.
Discussions took place in Athens on July 23 between Acting Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos, and his deputy Alkiviadis Stefanis and US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, who later said that “Our commitment to the US-Greece defense and security relationship is iron-clad.” Reeker also met with other government officials as well as Tsipras, now the major opposition leader.
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