CHIA co-chairs call on Secretary Pompeo to make it clear that Turkey must cease its provocations
Dear Secretary Pompeo:
As co-chairs of the Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance caucus and co authors of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act (the “East Med Act”), we write to express our concerns over Turkey’s latest provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean. By sending the survey ship Oruc Reis with armed escort into areas over which Greece and Cyprus assert jurisdiction, Turkey risks an escalation that endangers American strategic interests. We urge you to make it clear to the Erdogan government that continuing this course of action will further create challenges to regional cooperation and U.S.-Turkey relations.
A spirit of cooperation and collaboration has taken hold in the Eastern Mediterranean among US allies and strategic partners. The diplomatic momentum created when Israel, Greece, and Cyprus began their trilateral meetings has turned into a much larger regional effort. That this collaboration now also includes France, Egypt, the UAE, Italy, and Jordan, and is a development that helps safeguard American interests. That Turkey responds to such collaboration with threats and gun boat diplomacy is unacceptable.
In the East Med Act, we called attention to long time Turkish provocations in the region, and specifically to its efforts “to interfere in efforts by the Republic of Cyprus to explore and exploit natural resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone” and its “violations of the airspace of the sovereign territory of Greece.” These provocations have only become more severe since this law expressed both the opinion of Congress and the Administration that they are threats to U.S. interests.
We urge you to be clear that Turkey must cease its provocations in the region and the Oruc Reis and its armed escort must return home. Our Caucus and many other colleagues in Congress stand ready to assist in efforts to safeguard American interests, allies, and partners.
Read Representatives Deutch and Bilirakis’ full letter to Secretary Pompeo here:
