The Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, met today with the Minister of Defence of Israel, Mr. Yoav Gallant, in the context of Mr. Gallant’s official visit to Greece.
The welcoming ceremony as well as the official talks were also attended by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Hardalias, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff Lieutenant General (P) Themistoklis Bourolias, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Ioannis Drymousis HN, the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Andreas Koronakis and the Ambassador of Israel to Greece, Mr. Noam Katz.
During the talks, both Ministers reaffirmed the strong and long-standing friendship ties, which are in place, as well as the strategic defence relationship already established between both countries for their security and defence, along for the stability and prosperity of the wider region.
They also stressed both the high level and the dynamics of the military cooperation between the Armed Forces of Greece and Israel, as demonstrated whereby the implementation of significant, mutually beneficial programmes in the area of the Defence Industry, and joint exercises, as well as the shared will to further enhance thereof.
The Minister of Defence of Israel commended his Greek counterpart on his effort – during his tenure – to have the defence ties between Greece and Israel tangibly and undoubtedly enhanced, whereas he stressed that the recent talks between both delegations reflect the depth and the prospects in place for the ties of both countries. Mr. Gallant mentioned the cooperation of Athens – Tel Aviv in the areas of Defence, Intelligence, industrial projects and other areas, which contribute to the security and economy of both sides, whereas he characterized the operation of the International Flight Training Center in Kalamata Air Base an excellent example of bilateral cooperation. He also mentioned the recent cooperation in the field of intelligence, which led to the arrest of two terrorists, who were planning to hit Israeli targets in our country.
The Defence Minister of Israel stressed that the tie between Greece – Israel constitutes a pillar of stability in the area and personally undertook to further expand the said cooperation so that the challenges are jointly faced and an even brighter future for the peoples of both countries is established.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister of Defence, made the following address:
“Dear Minister,
It is a great honour to welcome you today in Athens at the Ministry of National Defence.
Greece and Israel have forged a strategic partnership based on strong ties of friendship and our shared vision for the establishment of an environment of stability, security, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Today, we had the opportunity to reaffirm our common goal and wish to broaden and enhance the strategic defence partnership between Greece and Israel, which has reached new heights during the past few years.
The defence ties between our two countries have been strengthened through many joint exercises and training activities of our countries’ Armed Forces and the exchange of knowledge and experience. We are determined to maintain this ever-increasing momentum and enhance our mutually beneficial cooperation in the Defence Industry area, via new activities and important projects, such as the flagship International Flight Training Centre in Kalamata.
Minister Gallant and I discussed today the unjustified and brutal war of Russia against Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of International Law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, an attempt to change the borders through the use of force.
Aggressive revisionism is the greatest challenge facing our region and constitutes a grave danger for the international rule of law.
We also discussed the security situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is a region of great strategic importance for the prosperity of our countries, but also faced with great challenges and threats.
We expressed our strong will, commitment, and determination to deal with these challenges effectively.
Greece has always championed initiatives towards stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean. We have built strong alliances both with Israel and other countries, which share the same vision, to enter a new era of peace and stability in our region.
Our initiatives are always based on the respect of the rules of International Law, sovereignty and sovereign rights, as well as the principle of good neighbourly relations.
Dear Minister,
I am certain that our defence partnership will grow even stronger, given the fact that it is based on a multifaceted strategic partnership.
I would like to thank you for your valuable contribution and your leading role in building a strong defence partnership between our countries.
Thank you and welcome!”
