US, Greece planning to expand military cooperation in the Mediterranean

The US and Greece will likely update a bilateral security pact this summer which could pave the way for more American military missions in the region, Greece’s defense chief said on May 11, the American military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said military ties with the US were at an “all-time high,” adding that the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two countries is being amended.

The deal could “bring in more locations” where US troops can operate in Greece, the minister was quoted as saying during an online discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies a week ago, adding that the deal also could “enhance what is happening at the selected locations in operation right now.”