S.Amdt. 6357

The amendment, known as the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, aims to add a new section to bill S. 4784. Its purpose is to support Eastern Mediterranean countries (Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, and Israel) as a strategic gateway within the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

The amendment seeks to change the bill by adding the following:

• Strategic Goals: It recognizes the IMEC as a strategic alternative to Chinese infrastructure investments and emphasizes the importance of the region for European and United States energy security.

• Diplomatic Actions: It calls for the United States to maintain leadership in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum and the Abraham Accords, and requests that the Secretary of State resume the "3+1" diplomatic initiative with the Foreign Ministers of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus.

• Policy Directives: The Secretary of State is directed to prioritize the Eastern Mediterranean region in foreign policy, focusing on defense cooperation and energy security. The amendment also allows for the creation of multilateral strategic dialogues with IMEC countries.

• Reporting and Research: It requires the Secretary of State to provide reports on the implementation of the Act, briefings on multilateral initiatives, and an analysis of the Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas, and Port Security.

• Program Expansion: It mandates a study on the feasibility of creating or expanding bilateral programs with Eastern Mediterranean and IMEC countries, modeled after existing United States-Israel foundations for science, technology, and industrial research.