Jerusalem, Israel. Lawmakers from Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States met at an interparliamentary gathering organised by the Knesset and warned that as Iran weakens, Turkey is emerging as the primary axis of regional instability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Concerns about Turkey and the 3+1 framework
Participants said Ankara is trying to exploit strategic gaps and position itself as the region’s security guarantor. They described the 3+1 framework as a democratic, stable and reliable platform that is crucial for strengthening security, cooperation and long-term partnership in the region.
Georgiades highlights need for cooperation
Harris Georgiades, Chair of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, highlighted the geopolitical importance of the Eastern Mediterranean and the need to deepen cooperation within the 3+1 format of Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States during his address to the four-country meeting.
The Eastern Mediterranean, he said, will either generate tensions, conflict and threats to international security or develop into a zone of stability, investment and energy interconnection. He said its course will largely depend on cooperation between the region’s three liberal democracies and on sustained US engagement, which forms the core of the 3+1 partnership. He stressed that the cooperation does not target any country but serves shared interests and common security concerns.
Comments on Turkey’s political transformation
Turning to Turkey, Georgiades said the country has undergone a profound transformation over the past twenty years, with its secular and Western orientation giving way to a blend of authoritarianism, Islamism and nationalism. He said it should not continue to be treated as a stable and reliable partner, arguing that the shift extends beyond Recep Tayyip Erdogan and has affected the entire political system and state structures.
Support in Cyprus and polling results
Georgiades said the cooperation has strong backing within Cyprus, stating that both the political system and society support partnership with Israel and Greece, as well as the 3+1 format, by a clear majority.
He added that a recent poll shows seven in ten Cypriots support cooperation between Israel, Greece and Cyprus, while four in ten view Israel as the leading security partner, with the United States in second place.
Attendees and US lawmakers’ remarks
Those attending included Knesset members Ohad Tal and Alon Schuster, co-chairs of the Knesset’s Eastern Mediterranean group, members of the US Congress, Greece’s representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly MP Dimitris Kairidis, Middle East Forum chief executive Gregg Roman, and geopolitical experts from the four countries.
US Congressman Brad Schneider, who chairs the Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance, said recent developments have reinforced the importance of the 3+1 framework as a mechanism for regional coordination and security.
Republican Congressman Randy Fine pointed to the strategic challenges Turkey poses in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East. He said a significant part of the discussion on Syria is shaped by Turkey’s role, and noted that the American diplomat overseeing Syria, Tom Barrack, is also responsible for Turkey, which he said indicates the US government views the two theatres as deeply interconnected.
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