US congress members Nicole Malliotakis and Gus Bilirakis slammed the Biden administration for its handling of the EastMed gas pipeline and demanded an in-person briefing.
A letter to Naz Durakoglu, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of Legislative Affairs, replies to one they received regarding Washington no longer backing the East Mediterranean Gas Pipeline (EMGP).
The two members object to several assertions that US official makes, noting: “It is simply not true that the United States did not reverse its position as it had not formally or financially supported the EMGP thus far”.
“Despite its lack of financial support, the United States had consistently expressed diplomatic support for the project.”
They refer to a joint statement in October 2019 in which “the Greek and US governments acknowledged the potential of the proposed EastMed gas pipeline to contribute to the energy security and diversification of energy sources and routes in the Eastern Mediterranean”.
They also refer to a joint statement issued in September 2020 regarding the High-Level Review of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, which restated the support of EMGP.
Malliotakis and Billirakis refer to the “EastMed Act”, which provides that US policy is to strongly support the completion of the TransAdriatic and Eastern Mediterranean Pipelines and the establishment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals across the Eastern Mediterranean as a means of diversifying regional energy needs away from Russia.
“Officials who oversaw energy diplomacy during the Trump Administration, including Frank Fannon, the inaugural Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, and Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, expressed US support for the EMGP on multiple occasions.”
“Whether you want to classify the Administration’s position as a clarification or a reversal, it is clearly a position at odds with positions taken during the Trump Administration, at odds with positions taken by members of Congress, and at odds with American law.”
They argue the State Department’s reversal in policy “seems to have been reached unilaterally, absent consultations with our allies and partners in the region and before the completion of feasibility studies.”
They said the State Department appears to have rushed to a conclusion and, in the process, skipped several key steps, including consulting with US allies and partners and with the United States Congress as required by the EastMed Act.
“We are requesting an in-person briefing for ourselves, the other co-authors of the House’s version of the EastMed Act and anyone else responsible for the drafting of the non-paper on the EMGP and in determining Administration policy regarding bringing Eastern Mediterranean energy resources to market quickly.” (source CNA)
