Greece presents its energy policy to US officials

Speaking to US officials late on Monday, at the  Centre of Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Greece's Minister of Energy Yiannis Maniatis said that Greece is a reliable partner of increasingly importance and impact in a turbulent region, where peace, stability and welfare are in danger, The Greek Minister, who is presently in the US following an invitation of his American counterpart Dr Ernest Moniz, presented the US officials with Greece's energy policy. In doing so, he underlined that Greece's "leading role" in Europe's energy security, which is an "issue of priority of the international energy diplomacy", which focuses on three main directions:

• - Greece serves as a reliable partner of increasingly importance and impact in a turbulent region, where peace, stability and welfare are in danger,
• - Greece is developing its endogenous sources, which render it a new potential oil and natural gas supplier in the European market,
• - Greece is becoming a strong energy transit hub (natural gas terminals, gas pipelines and electricity), offering new alternatives for energy supply in Europe

Maniatis, according to a dispatch from the state news agency, put special emphasis on Greece's "new energy role" as a natural gas "gateway" in South Eastern Europe, particularly after the creation of the Greek-Bulgarian corridor and the expansion of respective connections to Romania and Hungary. He also stressed the importance of the East Med pipeline to transport natural gas from the southeastern Mediterranean deposits to European consumers.

After referring to the "recent achievements" of the Greek economy, he presented the Greek research and hydrocarbon exploitation programme in the sea area of the Ionian Sea and south of Crete while analyzing the new opportunities to attract international investments along with the extremely positive outlook in the sector.

Maniatis strongly condemned "Turkey's recent provocative and illegal under international law actions" and reiterated the "clear positions" of the European Council to respect the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, within its own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Regarding developments in the financial sector, he said that 2014 is the year that Greece "is exiting the crisis" and after six years of recession, the Greek economy "returned to growth," adding, among others, that "we achieved a primary budget surplus earlier than expected and above expectations," and that "during the past three years, we have achieved the largest fiscal adjustment also earlier than expected along with major structural reforms."

Greece, he said, is moving steadily in the direction of "developing synergies" between the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, including Israel, Egypt and Cyprus, aiming at establishing peace, security and regional cooperation.

On Tuesday, Maniatis would meet with US Secretary of Energy Dr Ernest Moniz, the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Catherine Novelli, and representatives of oil companies as well as with Michelle Patron, US President Barack Obama's special adviser and director on Energy and Climate at the National Security Council (NSC).

On Wednesday, the minister will visit New York where he will speak at a discussion titled: "The Eastern Mediterranean and European Energy Landscape: Trends and Opportunities" at the University of Columbia. In New York, he will also meet with Archbishop Demetrios of America.