US
President Donald Trump hailed Greece’s contribution to EU energy security,
following a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at the White House
on October 17. Trump was referring to projects that enhance the transportation
of gas, essentially lessening the European Union’s reliance on Russia and open
up the possibility of Greece becoming a customer for future US exports of
liquefied natural gas.
“On energy,
we appreciate Greek contributions to European energy security through its
support of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the Greece-Bulgaria
Interconnector (IGB), and liquefied natural gas facilities that are capable of
transporting diverse sources of energy to Europe, including potential liquefied
natural gas exports from the United States, of which that particular route —
and business is getting bigger and bigger and bigger, as you know,” Trump said
at a joint press conference with Tsipras.
Trump is
trying to promote more LNG exports to Europe and Asia. “These initiatives make
both our people safer and create good jobs for our hardworking citizens,” he
added.
Washington
and US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt, who was present during Tsipras’
visit to Washington, have pushed for the construction of a floating storage
terminal for LNG in Alexandroupolis, northern Greece. They have also hailed the
timely construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline that will carry Caspian gas
from the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to the European markets as well as
the Interconnector Greece Bulgaria that will strengthen the energy security of
the Balkans that rely on gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom.
For his
part, Tsipras said at the White House on October 17 that Greece promotes
cooperation with the Middle East and the Balkans, which contribute to the
security and the growth of the area.
Tsipras
said Greece is gradually becoming a significant crossroads for transportation
and energy. “I would like to mention the completion of the TAP pipeline and the
EastMed pipeline; the agreement for a floating — for an LNG station in
Alexandroupolis, which is northeast Greece, and the prospect that
Alexandroupolis will be an area where we can receive exports — imports from the
United States of fracking,” Tsipras said.
The Eastern
Mediterranean (EastMed) pipeline project relates to an offshore/onshore natural
gas pipeline, directly connecting East Mediterranean resources to Greece via
Cyprus and Crete.
The Greek
premier reminded that Athens enhanced its collaboration with two significant
partners in the area — Egypt and Israel, and Greece Cyprus with Israel and
Greece Cyprus with Egypt, and with other countries in the area such as Jordan,
Lebanon. “Our goal is that, through these multilateral collaborations, to
ensure the collaboration, stability, peace, and joint development, joint growth
here are tremendous opportunities before us in so many different ways,” Tsipras
said.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/trump-tsipras-see-greek-role-eu-energy-security/