N. Panagiotopoulos: The Mutual Defense Agreement Greece-USA is beneficial for our country

“The Greece-US Mutual Defense Agreement is particularly beneficial for our country and will act as a deterrent for anyone thinking of harming Greek interests. “Clearly demarcated sites are in the interest of Greek interests as well, since anyone who harms American interests will also harm Greek interests, with all that that entails.”

This was underlined by the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, during the discussion in the competent committee of the Parliament for the ratification of the second protocol for the amendment of the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement between Greece and the USA.

At the same time, he rejected the opposition’s objections to an unequal agreement that only safeguards American interests against Greece, stressing that “it is more or less normal, to some extent, to have a different view, but in the difficult days we are going through in terms of geopolitical ignition, there must be this kind of categorical opposition. ”

“This is the tangible proof of the upgrading of the strategic relationship between Greece and the United States of America. Some say we are not exercising rights. Wait a few days. A great object has already been developed in the field of defense cooperation between Greece and the USA “Oriental bazaar, because you do not get more, after you give them all this. All this in due time. We are already getting in terms of upgrading a network of infrastructure”, said Mr. Panagiotopoulos.

The Minister of Defense expressed his intense annoyance for the disgust of the SYRIZA rapporteur George Katrougalos, who said “do something for Greece as well”.

“I can not accept this ‘do something for Greece too.’ “Definitely of a defensive nature, or as far as the armaments part is concerned, without implying that we are finished, that there is nothing else to be done. Much remains to be done. But we continue and I think it is easy to prove that things have been done for Greece.” said Mr. Panagiotopoulos and added:

“The second amendment to the agreement on mutual defense cooperation between Greece and the United States of America is nationally beneficial. The strongest proof of the benefit for the national interest is the intense annoyance that Turkey has repeatedly expressed. from the upgrading of the Greece-US partnership and from the upgrading of the capabilities of the port of Alexandroupolis, but also from the invitation and the speech that the Greek Prime Minister will address to the Congress in a few days.

And this is a special honor that has not been reserved so far to any Greek prime minister and of course it will have a serious symbolic character. “If this is not another tangible proof of the qualitatively upgraded strategic relationship between Greece and the USA, but on the contrary it is a national defeat, as you more or less present it in terms of retreat, this is your view”.

“Many years have passed since 1990 when the first Greek-American defense agreement was signed and many things have changed since then. The world has changed dramatically since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the overall security perspective for Europe and the wider region has changed.” , noted the Minister of Defense.

As Mr. Panagiotopoulos stressed, “the main changes in the agreement are the addition of new areas of common interest with the US, namely the Larissa Air Base, the Army Air Base in Stefanofikeio and the port of Alexandroupolis and the Souda area where within these infrastructures “can live and operate parts of the US military.”

“Their inclusion in the Annex to the Agreement creates the conditions, due to its duration, for easier and greater funding in those camps that need infrastructure, infrastructure upgrades. When the American side knows that it has 5 years ahead, then it intends and finally decides to “Invest more money to upgrade what it will use. At the end of the day, this infrastructure will remain to the benefit of the Greek Armed Forces,” he said.

He emphasized the upgrade of the port of Alexandroupolis, talking about cosmogony taking place in the area.

“It would be really useful to pay a visit to Alexandroupolis, to see the cosmogony that takes place there. “Society rejoices and does not feel more insecure, but more secure, not to mention the wider benefit to the local economy, to the regional economy. Alexandroupoli is becoming the focus from the end and more will follow.”

Commenting on the report of SYRIZA MP Dimitris Vitsas that Alexandroupolis has become a target of Turkey, Mr. Panagiotopoulos countered that “in the context of our differences with Turkey, it is a target that would create much more second thoughts in someone who, he would probably wonder if he should move on. ”

At the same time, he rejected accusations that the agreement no longer shields our country against the aggression of Turkey.

“Do not add your own dissatisfaction with those who have already expressed their dissatisfaction with Alexandroupolis. The world has changed very dramatically lately. I think it is time to mitigate this ‘together and apart’, because it will not lead somewhere better, even if it looks outward as data behavior, “he said.

“It is not bad to be given, predictable, but also reliable. And if the Americans judge something and not only, that it is an advantage for Greece at this time and against the most unstable, due to the specific behaviors of the Turks, it is that the country We can take advantage of that, and the fruit, if you will, of this new, renewed United States view of Greece is this Mutual Defense Agreement. “Cooperation” underlined Mr. Panagiotopoulos and concluded:

All this is not an “oriental bazaar”, we give you these, give us the hi, psi, omega weapons. It is not like that. The strategic relationship is being upgraded as a whole. through very intensive co-education programs and with the defense and US forces, not just in the context of NATO exercises, and of course, the , are made and live in Greece “.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ