Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act

The "Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act" aims to bolster energy security and defense capabilities by enhancing cooperation with countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Its primary purpose is to support the strategic role of these nations as a vital gateway within the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) , which serves as an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative. The bill recognizes the region's strategic importance to the United States and its allies, highlighting existing frameworks like the 3+1 initiative involving Greece, Israel, and Cyprus. The Act emphasizes the critical role of energy projects, such as the Great Sea Interconnector and LNG terminals, in ensuring European energy security and forming the backbone for IMEC connectivity. It identifies Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, and Israel as key U.S. partners for regional stability and development. Congress expresses its sense that the U.S. should maintain leadership in diplomatic initiatives like the Greece-Cyprus-Israel-US "3+1" format and the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, actively supporting energy and transportation infrastructure, as well as defense cooperation. To achieve these goals, the bill directs the Secretary of State to prioritize the Eastern Mediterranean region in U.S. foreign policy, focusing on energy security and defense cooperation. The Secretary of State may also institutionalize multilateral strategic dialogues with IMEC countries. Furthermore, the Act mandates several reports and studies, including annual updates on implementation, briefings on multilateral initiatives, an analysis of the Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas, and Port Security (CYCLOPS) as a potential model, and a study on expanding bilateral programs with Eastern Mediterranean countries, modeled after successful U.S.-Israel partnerships.