\n<\/p>\n
The visit comes as Athens and Washington continue to deepen their bilateral relationship, while the current regional environment highlights Greece\u2019s role as a partner on security and stability in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.<\/p>\n
Rubio\u2019s visit to Greece runs from October 6 to 8, with the main talks scheduled for Wednesday, October 7. He will lead the US delegation at the sixth Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, which will address defence cooperation, regional and energy security and other areas of bilateral cooperation.<\/p>\n
The US secretary of state has also chosen to visit Greece without adding a stop in Turkey to his itinerary, highlighting the bilateral nature of his Athens visit.<\/p>\n
The United States supports the 3+1 framework involving Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the US and has backed connectivity projects in the Eastern Mediterranean.<\/p>\n
Rubio\u2019s agenda in Athens<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n On Wednesday, Rubio will meet Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/p>\n The two ministers will hold a bilateral meeting at 9:00am, followed by statements to the press at 9:30am. At 10:00am, they will open the sixth round of the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue.<\/p>\n Rubio will then meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.<\/p>\n The Strategic Dialogue will cover a broad range of areas in Greece-US cooperation. Working sessions involving senior officials from both countries will address regional issues and international developments, as well as security, energy, shipping, technology, trade, investment, defence and the strengthening of bilateral ties.<\/p>\n Three agreements and cooperation deals<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The Strategic Dialogue will also provide the framework for the signing of three agreements and cooperation documents between Greece and the United States.<\/p>\n The two sides will renew their Memorandum of Understanding on the imposition of import restrictions on categories of archaeological and ethnological material dating up to the 15th century AD.<\/p>\n They will also sign a Letter of Intent establishing cooperation between the Greek Armed Forces and the Florida National Guard.<\/p>\n A third agreement will take the form of a Memorandum of Understanding on the mutual recognition of seafarers\u2019 certificates of competency under the 1978 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).<\/p>\n The agreement aims to facilitate employment opportunities for seafarers and strengthen Greece-US cooperation in maritime training.<\/p>\n Diplomatic sources say Rubio\u2019s visit and the sixth Strategic Dialogue reflect the high level of Greece-US relations and the two countries\u2019 intention to expand cooperation further.<\/p>\n Athens also attaches particular importance to the timing of the visit, given the geopolitical developments across the wider region. Greek officials say Greece wants to strengthen its role as a stable and reliable strategic partner for the United States in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.<\/p>\n Rubio calls Greece a very important US ally<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Speaking to reporters before departing Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for his European tour, Rubio described Greece as a very important US ally.<\/p>\n \u201cGreece is a very important ally of the United States. It is a country where we have not only a military presence, but also strong economic ties. Therefore, it is an opportunity to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubio\u2019s Athens visit forms part of his October 5-8 European trip, which also includes Iceland and Portugal. The US State Department says the tour focuses on economic and security cooperation, while his Greece agenda centres on the sixth US-Greece Strategic Dialogue and cooperation on defence, regional security and energy.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n