The Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos attended the multinational exercise “DEFENDER Europe 21” on the Distinguished Visitor Day, held at the port of Alexandroupoli, following an invitation by the Ambassador of the USA to Greece Mr. Geoffrey Pyatt.
The DV Day was also attended by the Chief of HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Charalambos Lalousis, as well as by the American Major General Christofer Mohan, Commanding General of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command. MPs, representatives of the Regional and Local Authorities, local entrepreneurs and representatives of social agencies also attended the event.
After touring the areas where the activities of the multinational exercise will be conducted, from the 17th of May to the 2nd of June, under the command of the American General with the objective to deter the aggressiveness and to build NATO operational readiness with its allies and partners, Mr. Panagiotopoulos delivered the following speech:
“I am greatly pleased to be here today, on the DV Day of the exercise “Defender Europe 21”, an exercise in which forces from 26 countries participate, confirming the excellent level of cooperation and, at the same time, the strategic character of the Port of Alexandroupoli.
I am particularly satisfied since we already see the positive outcome of the upgrade of the operability of the Port of Alexandroupoli and the possibility for large ships to call at the port, which is proved by the crucial role it played for the transportation of forces and materiel for the exercise. It is also obvious that Alexandroupoli can attract, due to its geostrategic position, big investments including the construction of new infrastructure at the jetties, the floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), the interconnection with the railway network, as well as with Egnatia Odos and the extension of the NATO fuel pipeline to this region. These investments will contribute to boosting the economic activity, by creating new employment posts and multiplying the benefit for our country.
As I have had the chance to underline in the past, the transport network and the road network in the wider region create the conditions for the port of Alexandroupoli to become a strategic hub in a vertical axis northward for the rapid transport of people and commodities, which is also particularly important for the energy security of Europe.
The “Defender Europe 21” exercise comes to be added to a great deal of activities in the field of the defence cooperation between Greece and the USA; it is a cooperation of a strategic character and mutually beneficial which is based on both countries’ will to contribute, substantially, to security, stability and prosperity in the wider region.
We have a common will to further reinforce our strategic defence relation, in order to ensure the maintenance of strong, effective and interoperable armed forces, and to promote, at the same time, the financial growth of our Country.
Today, I would like to point out, on the one hand, the significant contribution, the commitment and the tireless efforts of the US Embassy and Mr. Pyatt for this outcome and, on the other hand, our intention to further reinforce it, by extending and enhancing the Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement.
You all know that Eastern Mediterranean is an area of great strategic significance which offers an increased number of perspectives and opportunities for stability, growth and prosperity. At the same time, there are common security challenges, threats and other factors which we must deal with together.
Greece is a reliable, powerful and consistent Ally and it must remain a pillar of stability in the wider region of Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Northern Africa. We always seek for cooperation and relations based on International Law and principles of good neighbourly relations. Our presence, today, at an important military activity points out to every direction that Greece has always the readiness to defend its sovereignty rights and it will do it decisively and effectively if it is necessary.
Thank you for your attention and once more I would like to express my great satisfaction with this entire effort, this undertaking of the upgrade of the Port of Alexandroupoli by everybody involved, by our American friends, by the personnel of the Port of Alexandroupoli, by the local authorities and the Regional authorities, which embraced this undertaking – because they saw, like we all did, like I personally did – this huge perspective for our land. Undertakings like this will enhance the geographic role of the Region of Eastern Macedonia.
As long as it is possible to move a great number of troops, systems, helicopters, heavy vehicles, tanks arriving at the port of Alexandroupoli, loading-unloading – a huge effort, a great undertaking, very challenging – because it is not only Egnatia Odos that connects the east and the west, it is also the vertical roads that connect the south to the Balkans in the north, to the Balkan mainland and farther northward.
All this has great strategic importance. The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, but particularly Alexandroupoli assume the role of key strategic points of reference in the wider area.
Congratulations to the people who worked for this. There is still much work to be done, and it will be done because the beginning showed very hopeful results and the strategic cooperation between Greece and USA is expanded and our job, our duty is to do our best in order to deepen it, to enhance it further through such activities which prove that all this is not just words, but it is implemented in action.
Thank you again.”
Afterwards, speeches were delivered by the Chief of HNDGS, the Ambassador of the USA in Greece and the Chairman of the Port Authority of Alexandroupoli Mr. Konstantinos Chatzimichail.
