Particularly important for the energy security of the Eastern Mediterranean is the cooperation of Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the US, known as the "3+1 Alliance". This was pointed out by Bob Menendez, US Senator for New Jersey and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the USA, at the 8th Delphi Economic Forum, which takes place in Delphi April 26 - 29 and is under the Auspices of the President of the Republic, Mrs. Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
Through a video message, Mr. Menendez stressed that the role of the "3+1 Alliance" in the energy security of the Eastern Mediterranean has become even more important since Vladimir Putin sought to "instrumentalize" energy and use it as a "weapon" " in the context of his conflict with the West. "The best way to defend against this kind of aggression is cooperation. And the "alliance" of the US, Greece, Cyprus and Israel in the energy sector contributes to exactly this purpose, ie in the energy security of the region", he added.
He also emphasized that he will personally continue to support the implementation of important projects to ensure the energy supply of the Eastern Mediterranean and the region's independence from Russia, urging the countries - members of the "3+1 alliance" to continue building on the successful cooperation that they have already built.He ended by upgrading the role of the port of Alexandroupoli, saying that it is developing into an energy hub and will contribute to the energy security of the wider region.
In her own video message, ND MP and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dora Bakoyannis, argued that the agreement of the four countries has a very high added value, offering great stability and strengthening Europe's energy security. He pointed out that Greece has always been a bridge between East and West and is one of the reliable partners in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
During the discussion that followed and was moderated by Eddie Zemenidis, Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, Haris Georgiadis, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign and European Affairs of the Cyprus Parliament, spoke about important steps forward. He said that the progress in the relations between Cyprus and Israel is amazing, characterizing the participation of the USA in the events of the Eastern Mediterranean as necessary. "3+1 is not against any nation and does not exclude any nation, not even Turkey. If it behaves like a real democracy, it could become a member of this initiative, which is unfortunately not apparent at the moment," added Mr. Georgiadis.
George Tsounis, Ambassador of the United States of America to Greece, also mentioned the importance of the cooperation of the four countries, stressing that it strengthens the level of understanding and lays the foundations for ensuring peace in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Asked about the role of the US Congress, he explained that it has an obligation to ensure consensus and is doing so responsibly. "If you don't respect the decisions of the committees, the problem will find you, not the other way around," said Mr. Tsounis.
For his part, Dimitris Kairides, ND MP and Professor of International Relations at Panteion University, characterized the 3+1 cooperation as a historic, radical moment, stressing that Greece, Cyprus and Israel share common interests and values. He pointed out that the cooperation works for peace and stability in the region and spoke of multiple opportunities, as long as we are honest and follow a long-term approach.
