What the US ambassador actually said about East Med drilling

Dear Editor,

We read the editorial published in Kathimerini's Sunday edition on June 9, 2019 by Costas Simitis, titled "The Coastal Zone - EEZ - Continental Shelf - Take Caution Now," with special respect and consideration given the former prime minister's deep knowledge of the topic and the recent, strong US government policy statements on these issues.

As part of the evidence he cites to support his position that Greece's allies are taking a cautious approach to Turkey, Prime Minister Simitis states, "It is indicative of this position that the US ambassador to Greece, in response to questions about 'Turkey's provocations' in the Cypriot [exclusive economic zone], emphasized the need for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and spoke of agreements equally beneficial to the parties involved - an answer that suggests initiatives that perhaps will not be in the...