This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Greece on a visit aimed at reinforcing cooperation and underlining support for a NATO ally. The visit comes as Greece and Turkey engage in a dispute over drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean.
"This is a dynamic region, with lots going on, lots of change taking place and we are very confident that together, we can work to ensure that Greece can be a pillar for stability in this region," Pompeo said, highlighting the strength of the US-Greece relationship.
However, thousands of demonstrators outside the Greek parliament disagreed, with some holding a banner reading "Pompeo go home." The visit has been met with protests, reflecting the growing tensions in the region.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis alluded to Greek concerns over Turkish drilling off EU member Cyprus, where huge gas reserves have been discovered. The discovery has triggered a race to tap the region's resources and sparked a dispute between Turkey and Cyprus.
"The United States has a special interest in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Cyprus only asks for the obvious, the implementation of international law," Mitsotakis said, emphasizing the need for a constructive and productive environment in the region.
Turkey has had troops stationed in Cyprus since 1974, when it invaded and occupied the northern third of the island after a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece.
