EastMed Act improves US-Greece military cooperation, Risch says

January 12, 2020
Written by E.Tsiliopoulos

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EastMed Act improves US-Greece military cooperation, Risch says

The EastMed Act establishes areas of cooperation such as energy security in the region, upgrades US relations with its allies in the Eastern Mediterranean, removes the long-standing arms embargo in Cyprus and improves US military cooperation with Greece by increasing US military training for Greek soldiers and US funding for military equipment so that Greece can continue to "build" its army and respects its commitments to NATO, Jim Risch

, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said in an interview with 'Parapolitika' newspaper on Saturday.

"The EastMed Act enhances the already excellent level of cooperation," he said, adding that "it is critical for the US to have a common and committed ally like Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean."

"US relations with Greece are at their best ever," noting that "the positive momentum in Greek-American relations began with the previous government but continued with the Mitsotakis government".

Risch also said that there are always ways to improve the fantastic US-Greece relationship, and hopes Greece will get to spend 20 pct of its defence budget on equipment that will ensure its readiness.

It also hopes for even closer Greece-US cooperation to meet the growing challenge from China and to ensure that Chinese investment does not endanger our collective security or our values as well as Greek-American business ties.

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