"We have strategic cooperation with Greece and it is genuine," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said on Sunday following talks here that Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis held with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns on the sidelines of the sessions of the 60th UN General Assembly.

Bryza said the issues discussed included "excellent" bilateral relations between the United States and Greece, Turkey's European course, the situation in the Balkans (Kosovo), the FYROM “name issue”, Iran, security issues in the Mediterranean and the Middle East situation.

Bryza noted that Greece is a country that has "a great deal to teach us about democracy and freedom, and we are cooperating with it for the region of the Middle East."

Regarding the FYROM name issue, the US senior official said "we support the efforts" of UN special mediator Matthew Nimetz, noting that he did not know whether the latter was preparing a new proposal, adding that "there is a proposal on the table that must be discussed."

Bryza reiterated that the United States will support any agreement that may arise from Nimetz’s mediation. The FYROM name issue will be discussed between Molyviatis and the UN envoy on Monday, as well as between Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis and Bryza in Washington next Friday.

Source: Athens News Agency

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