Rubio to visit Greece amid row over US ambassador

ATHENS

Greece is set to receive U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Oct. 6-7 for talks expected to underscore the strength of bilateral ties and address key regional issues amid growing geopolitical tensions.

Rubio’s visit to Athens is being viewed primarily as a bilateral trip aimed at reaffirming the close U.S.-Greek relationship, rather than as part of a wider regional tour.

It is also expected to signal Washington’s continued support for U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after the row.

Greece’s opposition parties earlier called on the government to address allegations concerning Guilfoyle.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Guilfoyle suggested during a March dinner attended by Greek and U.S. officials that Washington had played a role in the overthrow of Romania’s government and
could potentially take similar action in Greece.

Greek government Spokesman Pavlos Marinakis dismissed the report as unfounded.

A key focus of Rubio’s visit will be the sixth U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue, launched in December 2018.

The talks are expected to address Greece’s provision of military facilities and support under the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, as well as wider defense cooperation, which has long been a cornerstone of bilateral relations.

The discussions are also expected to come as Athens considers extending its territorial waters south of Crete to 12 nautical miles and potentially restarting seabed surveys related to the Greece-Cyprus Great Sea Interconnector project.