Trump Shares Article of Cyprus, Greece Discussing IMEC Importance

The article by Breitbart News referred to Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Nicholas Ioannides discussing the IMEC with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, who had said that the proposed trade route would mirror China’s Belt and Road initiative and was “an opportunity to be taken advantage of”.

The article furthermore presents the views of the foreign ministers of Cyprus and Greece, Giorgos Gerapetritis and Constantinos Kombos, voiced during a panel discussion last week hosted by Breitbart News Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle at the Delphi Forum in cooperation with the Hellenic American Leadership Council in Washington, DC.

“You have the land, and you have the sea. All the dots are there and Greece and Cyprus can serve as the glue that brings that part of the world connected to the European Union through a corridor that provides political stability, economic openness because this is free market – we’re members of the European Union – and very strong alliance with the United States. So, you have all the elements in place,” Papadopoulou said.

Papadopoulou also said she was “glad there is now a new, renewed American interest in the region”.
Asked by Breitbart how America, Cyprus, Greece and Israel, otherwise known as the “3+1”, can promote peace in the Middle East, Ioannides said the Abraham Accords “was a huge success of the first Trump administration”.

“Thus, the attempts for revival of this process is a very welcome development,” he said.

“I’d like to stress that the Republic of Cyprus, as the southeasternmost EU member state, is a strong strategic partner of both the United States and Israel. Therefore, we believe that and we’re ready to be part of a revived process within the context of Abraham Accords,” Ioannides said.

According to sources, the IMEC was discussed during a recent meeting between Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The article says Ioannides and Papadopoulou expressed optimism over Trump’s election, saying it would promote economic cooperation and peace treaties in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

Source: Cyprus Mail