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“Obviously we have talked about everything that has happened in recent months in the Eastern Mediterranean. “Things that threaten the peace, stability, and cohesion of NATO itself,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, opening joint statements with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after the meeting at the Palace of the Maxims. . “It is not a bilateral issue. It is about all the partners of the North Atlantic pact and a challenge for the whole of Europe,” the prime minister continued and added. “This is a danger that lurks in the United States as well.”
“A typical example is the acquisition of the S-400s by Turkey. As long as Greece remains faithful to its national laws, it will constantly strive for a peaceful settlement of disputes. It is always ready for dialogue,” continued Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “It undertakes to refrain from any threat or use of force as provided in the Washington Founding Treaty. That is why our country welcomes Turkey’s first step towards de-escalation. It remains to be seen whether it is an honest move. or a temporary maneuver. We expect coherence and continuity from our neighbors. We await an immediate date for the beginning of exploratory contacts with the sole issue of settling the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean areas “.
The Prime Minister highlighted: “In the same context, it was decided to establish a 24-hour direct communication line between military personnel.
These are measures that followed a crisis but did not prevent it. It is up to Turkey to close the path to the crisis and pave the way for a solution. We are ready to meet her on Second Street. “
“I had the opportunity to report on the recent decisions on the reinforcement of the Armed Forces,” continued the Prime Minister, adding that he informed the NATO Secretary General “And on our decision to strengthen the Armed Forces with 15,000 permanent specialized personnel” .
Greece is one of the few countries that consistently and during the crisis spent more than 2% of its GDP on defense spending, said Mr. Mitsotakis, noting that a cornerstone of NATO is the principle of solidarity. The word alliance means together in battle. In this case together in the fight for Peace, Security, Cooperation.
Stoltenberg: Greece is an important ally
For his part, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described the discussions held in Brussels within the framework of NATO and the establishment of a de-escalation mechanism as “constructive”, which means creating a direct line of dialogue 24 hours of the day to facilitate de-escalation, he said.
He also congratulated “our allies for this effort” and said that “the mechanism can help create spaces for diplomatic efforts” and stressed that there must be a spirit of solidarity among allies under international law.
Stoltenberg praised Greece’s contribution to NATO and its operations, appreciated its contribution, and welcomed the fact that Greece spends over 2% on defense.
“Greece was at the forefront of the fight to address the refugee crisis,” Stoltenberg said, adding that NATO stands in solidarity with our country.
He added that he supports the Greek and Turkish authorities, as well as Frontex in this battle, and thanked our country “for all the efforts”.
He also said that all this shows that NATO helps the efforts of its members and assessed that NATO is “invaluable to everyone.”
Stoldenberg welcomed the strengthening of the Greek Armed Forces, “which automatically means strengthening NATO,” as he put it, noting that Greek fighter jets contribute to missions and help greatly to keep the airspace safe. in Montenegro and Montenegro. Ships are a valuable link in the NATO chain.
“All of this contribution keeps Greece and NATO strong,” Stoltenberg said, adding that the security situation in the region in general was discussed.
“We have discussed concerns about Russia’s growing presence in the Mediterranean.” This has implications for our own security, so we must address it together, “he said.” Our alliance is an effective platform for dialogue, with allies from Europe and North America who meet daily to discuss issues of vital importance to our security, no matter how difficult or thorny some of them are. “This is because we know how much stronger we are if we join forces. Our alliance is strong because we are in solidarity with each other. Finally, he thanked Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis “for his important and tireless effort and support for our alliance.”
Working breakfast with Dendias
Earlier, Nikos Dendias offered a working breakfast to the Secretary General of NATO, in the presence of the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos.
The meeting focused on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the process of meditation on the future of the Alliance, as well as other topics of mutual interest, according to a relevant post from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on twitter.
At a working breakfast with the Secretary General of NATO, @jensstoltenberg, in the presence of the Minister of National Defense @npanagioto. We discuss the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the future evolution of NATO and issues of mutual concern. pic.twitter.com/khyBs5sJ7P
– Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) October 6, 2020
See the joint statements of the two men after the end of the expanded meeting, which was attended by Foreign and Defense Ministers Nikos Dendias and Nikos Panagiotopoulos, government spokesman Stelios Petsas and the head of the Prime Minister’s Diplomatic Office .
Source: skai.gr
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