ATHENS – US Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, raised the possibility of his country using the Greek port of Alexandropolis for military purposes during an on-site event.
At the time, a dredger that sank in the port area in 2010 was pulled out of the water after Washington invested $2.3 million in the recovery of the vessel.
The US diplomat demonstrated US interest in the northern Greek port.
“I’m very happy to be back in Alexandroupoli to highlight our work here together with our Greek allies, as well as the opportunities that we see for the future privatization of this important maritime asset. I’m pretty sure I’ve visited Alexandroupoli more than any other U.S. Ambassador to Greece, and that reflects this city’s critical geopolitical importance as a gateway to the Black Sea and Balkan regions,” Pyatt said at the event.
The rescue of the dredger will allow greater traffic of military and commercial ships in the port. Pyatt also stressed that his government expects the port to be privatized, which could attract US investors.
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Military cooperation
In turn, Greek National Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiatopoulos spoke about the strategic advantages of cooperation with the US in exploring the port.
“Alexandroupoli is a crucial link to European energy security, regional stability, and economic growth, so it makes sense that the United States and Greece have chosen here to work together to advance our shared security and economic interests,” he also said.
“I also want to underline something that was reinforced by my conversation here today, which is the quality of the partnership between our American and Greek representatives, whether it is our military relationship or our commercial contractors working together. We collaborate as partners and allies, and our relationship today is at an all-time high,” he continued.
Strategic point
Alexandropolis is located in Evros, in northeastern Greece, and near the Turkish border. The site is strategically important for its proximity to the Dardanelles Strait , entry point to the Black Sea.