The Greek position on the EastMed plan was supported by the French Ambassador Patrick Maisonnave during his briefing in the Greek press on the occasion of the French Presidency of the European Council, while emphasizing France’s continued support on the side of “the ally and partner Greece”.
“EastMed remains a project of interest, but today the economic conditions favor the search for other ways of supplying energy and especially electricity interconnection or liquefied natural gas. It is not the intention of EastMed to become a strategic or political affair, but to look only at the facts which show that it makes more sense financially to promote other plans”, said the French ambassador.
Asked by APE-MPE about the possibility of a crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean during the French presidency replied that “today I have no evidence that would lead me to think that we are going to a crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean”. He reminded, however, “the recent events, to which France reacted and did it in a stable and clear way, supporting Greece and Cyprus”.
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And if something happens, he added, as in other parts of the world, “we will assume our responsibilities and try to give an answer”, Mr. Maisonnave said that it is necessary to have a dialogue with Russia as well as with Turkey. “I believe”, he said, “that we need a dialogue with Russia as well as with Turkey, and that is the spirit of the French president ‘s proposals to its partners in 2017 and 2018, considering that the absence of dialogue is detrimental to the interests and the security of Europeans. “Whether we like it or not, Russia exists, it is an important power and it has significant assets and we believe that it is in our interest to talk to Russia”.
