Amb. Mallias outlines the role of Greece in SE Europe - regional issues

Greece's burgeoning image as a factor of stability in SE Europe, a successful model for migrant integration as well as a regional energy hub and global factor due to the Greek-owned fleet, was highlighted here by Greece's ambassador to the United States Alexandros Mallias, during an address at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service.

Mallias spoke earlier this week on the subject of Greek-US strategic cooperation in southeastern Europe and elsewhere.

Among others, Amb. Mallias touched upon the issue of Kosovo's final status, Turkey's European course in tandem with Athens' tangible support toward this end, along with the long-standing obstacles and problems facing the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate.

He also referred to Ankara's often fractious activity in the Aegean --deemed as having a negative effect on bilateral relations -- as well as major complications from the continued occupation of northern Cyprus by the Turkish military and the presence of roughly 40,000 Turkish soldiers on EU member-state Cyprus.

In other areas, Mallias underlined the sectors in which cooperation between Greece and the United States acquires increased weight when viewed within specific regional strategic and geopolitical frameworks.

Earlier, the Greek ambassador met with Robert Gallucci, the Dean of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown and a former high-ranking State Department diplomat.