The importance of regional cooperation for the enhancement of energy efficiency and security in Europe, through the diversification of both sources and routes of energy, was affirmed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Kostas Fragogiannis and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Laura Lochman, during their meeting today.
At the meeting –also attended by the Secretary General for International Economic Relations and President of Enterprise Greece Ioannis Smyrlis, as well as US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt – the strategic role of Alexandroupolis and the planned Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) was emphasized, as it will be a hub for the supply of energy not only to Greece but also to the countries of Southeastern Europe.
Mr. Fragogiannis underlined the importance of the interconnection of the energy resources of the Eastern Mediterranean with the European energy market – a goal that Greece is actively promoting that will contribute to the wider economic and political stability in the region.
Subsequently, the Deputy Minister and the Secretary General Mr. Smyrlis met with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs – and in particular for the Western Balkans – Gabriel Escobar, with whom they discussed, inter alia, the prospects for economic development of the countries in the region, as well as their EU accession prospects.
The US official conveyed the keen interest of the USA for the economic and political integration and inclusion of the countries of the Western Balkans in the European institutions and welcomed Greece’s leading role in this direction.