‘Greece can be major force for Balkan stability,’ says former US ambassador

The United States looks to Greece to "maintain stability" in the Eastern Mediterranean, former American ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns tells Kathimerini in an interview. He adds that following the Prespes agreement, there are now no more obstacles blocking Greece from expanding its role in Southeastern Europe. At the same time, he notes that Turkey has become a "major headache" for Washington.

Regarding the economic turmoil of the last 10 years, Burns says that Greece has survived one of the "most devastating crises of this century" and that the Greek people should be "proud that they have not only survived it but are on the road to recovery." Still, much will depend on the "continued discipline and effectiveness of the government in its economic and investment strategies."

Burns, who also served as ambassador to NATO and rose to the position of undersecretary of...