NATO chief, Greek premier discuss E Med

ANKARA

The NATO secretary-general and Greek prime minister on Sept. 24 discussed the recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. 

“As part of his regular consultations with Greek and Turkish leaders, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke by telephone with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on [Sept. 24] about the Eastern Mediterranean,” said a NATO statement.

“The Secretary General welcomed the recent announcement that Greece and Turkey will hold exploratory diplomatic talks. He stressed the importance of resolving the situation in a spirit of Allied solidarity and in accordance with international law,” it added.

Stoltenberg also said on Twitter: “NATO is an important platform for dialogue between Allies. The situation must be solved in the spirit of allied solidarity and on the basis of international law.”

Pompeo to visit Greece amid tensions

In the meantime, U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Greece next week in a show of support following tensions in the Mediterranean with Turkey, the State Department announced on Sept. 24.

Pompeo will also travel to Italy, with a stop in Vatican City, to discuss religious freedom, and Croatia on the September 27-October 2 trip.  

In his second trip to Greece in less than a year, Pompeo will go both to the northern city of Thessaloniki and the southern island of Crete, where he will meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.    

Pompeo will "renew our shared commitment to advance security, peace and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean and celebrate the strongest U.S.-Greek relationship in decades," the State Department said.    

In Crete, he will visit the NATO base at Souda Bay "to underscore the strong U.S. security partnership with NATO ally Greece," it said.