Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met this morning with the new US Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, at Maximos Mansion.
At the beginning of their meeting, the Prime Minister and the US Ambassador had the following dialogue:
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Officially I welcome you to Greece on behalf of the Greek government. We’re very happy to receive you. You’re coming at a time when Greek-American relations are on an all-time high, but this does not mean that we cannot improve them further. I think we have a very broad agenda of topics regarding our future cooperation. Greece is a pillar of regional stability, a traditional ally of the United States, a critical country in formats of regional collaboration, such as the 3+1 format.
Of course, a country that is also playing an important role as a stabilising factor in all regional conflicts, including the Middle East. A country which sees eye to eye with the United States regarding the role of energy and in particular, the importance of liquefied natural gas in our region.
We will have a very important initiative which coincides with your arrival to Greece, a very important gathering that is going to take place tomorrow and the day after, with a significant American participation. Greece is the entry point for liquefied natural gas throughout the entire region. The Vertical Corridor is a project of strategic importance for Greece and for the United States, and we are very much looking forward to further developing it.
And of course, beyond those issues, there is a broad area of topics we will work together, bringing in more American investments into Greece – and you know the big technology companies are already all present in Greece – and of course, strengthening the ties between our two communities. Next year, you will be celebrating 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, and it is not lost to me that Greece was an inspiring force behind the creation of your amazing Republic. So it will also be an opportunity to think about what really binds us together and to forge even stronger ties.
Again, welcome, and I’m really looking forward to a very constructive partnership.
Kimberly Guilfoyle: Thank you so much, Mr. Prime Minister. I will just say that it is an honour and a privilege to be here in your presence and in your incredible country and in Athens and the birthplace of democracy. A point you made well, where we will be celebrating the United States of America 250-year anniversary. I’ll have the honour of being the US Ambassador, the personal representative of President Donald Trump here when we do that and celebrate together.
This is a historic week. We have not only myself arriving, the P-TEC conference, wonderful bilateral meetings with all of your ministers and yourself. But incredible things planned for this conference, for Greece to be the energy hub here in the Eastern Mediterranean, up through the Vertical Corridor. We have representatives and ministers from all different countries coming, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria – It’s very exciting-, Cyprus, Ukraine, a historic 3+1 meeting that will be taking place as well. And a record setting, 80 plus United States government officials have all descended upon Greece and Athens for this P-TEC conference, and that is a record for Greece and for the United States.
And also we have Secretary Burgum, Secretary of the Interior returning for the second time in just a matter of months to come back to attend this conference, which will be the second time the Secretary of the Interior has ever visited Greece. The first time was his first arrival. Secretary Wright, Energy Secretary coming. We have the Under Secretary of energy dominance here as well, he arrived last night. So there’s a lot of enthusiasm. Our Deputy Secretary of State, Mike Rigas of Greek origin. We have them all here in town. They’re all excited to see you and be a part of really political and economic history, advancing trade and commerce issues, and also energy dominance, which will equate to energy dominance being national security, sovereignty and border.
I’m really excited about this. The conference will be kicking off right now this morning, and we’re looking forward to doing great things. This is really going to be the highlight of an already steadfast relationship and alliance between the United States and Greece. We’re going to take it to new heights together.
