«Good morning,
The Ministry of National Defence, as we had announced, will be organising events of commemoration of the Genocide of Pontian Greeks and Armenians from Tuesday, May 17 to Sunday, May 22. 2016.
From May, 17 to 22, 2016, an exhibition of historical photographs by professor Mr. Konstantinos Fotiadis who honours us today with his presence, is taking place at metro station “Syntagma” with documents from the Genocide of Pontian Greeks. It is a brilliant artistic and historical work which keeps the historical memories of the Genocide of Pontian Greeks alive, reminding us of their calamities and sacrifices. I wish to thank Mr. Fotiadis in particular for having offered these valuable historical documents.
On Saturday, May 21, 2016, with an event that will begin on Dionysiou Areopagitou street at 11:00 and will culminate at 20:30 at the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, we honour the Pontian Greeks, continuing their tradition and culture with the participation of the next generations who preserve their Pontian descent and heritage. At the event distinguished Pontian Greeks and Armenians will be honoured.
On Friday, May 20, 2016, in the Ministry of National Defence, we will welcome, with Head of State honours, the holy icon of Virgin Mary of Sumela, symbol of the Orthodox faith of Asia Minor and Pontian Greeks.
I would like to thank the Foundation of Virgin Mary of Sumela, in particular, the chairman Mr. Tanimanidis and the Board of Directors that offered us this supreme symbol of Orthodox Christianity, a religious heirloom of great value which will be available for the public. For the first time, the doors of the Ministry of National Defence will be open to citizens who wish to pray before the icon of Virgin Mary of Sumela.
I would like to thank, above all, the Armed Forces, all the three General Staffs for their hard work over the last days to prepare the events. I would like also to thank the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece and the Association of Pontian Societies of Southern Greece and the Islands, the Armenian National Committee of Greece and the “Hamazkayin” Cultural Society for their total contribution to the event to be held at the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, as well as all Pontian Greeks who contributed, in their own manner either personally or collectively, to the organization of the events.
I would like also to thank warmly the director of the event Ms. Sofia Spyratos, the artistic director Mr. Elias Yfantidis and the producer Mr. Fanis Synadinos, as well as all artists who participate disinterestedly in the event to be organized at the Temple of the Olympian Zeus and particularly Mr. Antonis Kalogiannis who will honour us with his participation.
Like every year, the Presidential guard, at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, will be wearing the traditional Pontian uniform and will be here to welcome the icon of Virgin Mary of Sumela.
The general coordination of the event will be conducted by Colonel (AF) Dimosthenis Georgiadis.
I wish to thank both my associates Ms. Kalogiannis and Ms. Tsatsaronis who undertook the heavy burden of the organization of these events. I am ready to listen to your questions”.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, have also Ministers of the government coming from SYRIZA party been invited to the events? I am asking this question based on some ministers’ previously expressed views against the Genocide.
P. KAMMENOS: Everybody has been invited, MPs, ministers, leaders of all parties and, of course, all citizens who wish to participate and I think that Mr. Fotiadis’ exhibition too, as well as the material which will be presented is interesting enough.
JOURNALIST: Yesterday the Turks once more brought forward an already known issue asking for the judicial contribution of the prosecution of Greece’s Supreme Court for the alleged – claimed by them – shootdown of a Turkish F16 in 1996. I would like to hear a comment on this issue.
P. KAMMENOS: We do not know anything about a shootdown of a Turkish F16.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, today a document is being revealed by Greek diplomats in Brussels, in NATO HQ, in which it is mentioned that Turkey asks NATO to withdraw from the Aegean Sea. Firstly, are you aware of this? Secondly, do you intend to proceed to any political action, of course, in coordination with the Prime Minister?
P. KAMMENOS: What I know is that this agreement which was achieved at a political level by NATO Defence Ministers was a beneficial agreement for Greece. Only in case that there is such a request, you may realize that this is confirmed once more. I also believe that it is important to mention – because too much criticism was expressed about this agreement – that this agreement worked. The persons entering per day were reduced from 5000-8000 to zero. Regardless of the problems that may have been created, this agreement has had a result.
It is true however, from the first moment, that, although at a political level – because as you remember, there had been a first trilateral meeting among Germany’s Defence Minister and Turkey’s Defence Minister and myself which was signed, the military committee of Turkey had objections to this agreement. Yet, this agreement was agreed by all NATO member-states, by Turkey’s political leadership, whatever action is being taken at this moment are considered as a total – Greece granted diplomatic permission for the Greek territorial waters – and the agreement worked. From there on, any objections regard the internal affairs of an other country and I would not like to interfere. We observe this agreement and we believe that this agreement is to everyone’s benefit, to the benefit of Greece and Turkey, as well as of NATO member-states.
JOURNALIST: Would it be worth for the Ministry to monitor the judicial procedure of the Turkish pilot’s family who was killed in 1996 and do you believe that a political dimension also exists in this issue?
P. KAMMENOS: We do not know anything. There is no aircraft shootdown for Greece. Beyond that, we do not know what happens in the Turkish Justice. It is their matter.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister a bill will be submitted tomorrow and an amendment which promoted the cuts of budget funds. Will the defence expenditure will be included in the automatic “cuts”? After the fourth decision of the Plenary Session of the Council of State and the second decision of the Court of Audit for the restoration of officers’ salaries and pensions at the amounts of 2012 will the Ministry intensify its efforts to the direction of the implementation of these decisions?
P. KAMMENOS: Let’s talk, at first, about this notorious “cuts”, which I call “valve” because it is a measure that, I am sure, will never be used. No matter whether it will be used or not – I believe that it will never be activated – as you may know, defence expenses have been exempted. There is no issue regarding defence expenses.
As far as the matter of the decision of the Council of State is concerned, you know that the government’s commitment and mine personally is for these decisions to be immediately implemented. We did what we ought to do for the Ministry of Finance. As you know, our absence from the Council of State during the last session was clear for the political decision we have made and we ask for the immediate implementation of the decisions of the Council of State.
As far as the financial issue is concerned, from the first time we ensured this money that we ought to pay following a decision of the country’s Supreme Court from budget codes of armaments, which had been cut. We believe that it will be implemented as soon as possible. It is important that on the 24th of this month we’ll have a Eurogroup decision that will in fact end an era, Greece will go into another time with other capabilities which are already becoming visible. Of course, we ought to apply this decision by the Council of State and we will.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister the spokesperson of the Turkish Ministry of Finance made a statement today with which he reproaches the Greek authorities because, as he mentioned, they ignore their obligations towards – as he stated – the “Turkish minority” of Thrace. This reflects a continuous expression of Ankara’s claims and provocations over the last time and yet all over the spectrum of the issues. Does this concern you? How do you deal with it?
P. KAMMENOS: The Treaty of Lausanne is clear. There is no Turkish minority in Thrace. The Treaty of Lausanne which has been signed by Turkey too, recognizes a religious minority in Thrace and I do not think that an international agreement, such as the Treaty of Lausanne can be invalidated by the decision of any bureaucrat of any Ministry, of Finance or any other ministry. The Treaty of Lausanne is clear. It refers to a religious minority in Thrace and a national minority of Greeks in Imvros, Tenedos, on the coast of Asia Minor and in Istanbul.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, over the last days there is an escalation of the Turkish provocations in the Aegean Sea. Recently, they flew above the Greek territory as many times as they had not flown over the last 2-3 years. Moreover, the violations have been increased over the last days and I believe that even bringing forward the issue of an alleged shootdown of a Turkish aircraft by a Greek aircraft is not accidental. Is there an explanation of the Greek side, of the Ministry of National Defence, why there is this increase of Turkish provocation in the Aegean Sea over the last time?
P. KAMMENOS: This regards mostly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. What I would like to stress is that we follow the constant decisions and strategies adopted by the Armed Forces regardless of government. Whatever enters the Greek air space is intercepted. Every ship that sails in the Greek territorial waters without following the obligations set by the international law is monitored, the relevant signals are read and this regards all the means that may violate international rules.
Of course, this increase of Turkish provocations concerns us. As you know, we have informed, both via the Foreign Ministry and via the Ministry of National Defence, our allies and all UN member-states. The presence of NATO ships in the area provides the additional capability for them to see these violations by themselves. However, because I realize that you refer mainly to the two last days, I would like to tell you that a violation is not only committed by the military aircraft that enter the Greek air space. And these violations over the last hours, the approximately 80 violations which have been announced by the HNDGS regard mostly helicopters which depart from Turkish ships located on international territorial waters as a part of the military drill “White Storm” which was launched by Turkey over the last hours.
This does not mean that we underestimate the violations. I reiterate that whatever violates the Greek air space is intercepted. I wish that Turkey had realized that this sort of challenges creates problems to themselves too and that this provocative behaviour does not help up improve the good relations of the two countries which we pursue. I believe that it is also within the framework of the political developments in Turkey over the last days. From there on, our position is firm and it will remain firm no matter what the political intentions are. The Armed Forces do their job, as they must do it, as the planning provides for and this planning is applied. I assure you that it is applied with full consistence.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister I take the opportunity, from what you said, about informing, sending demarches to the allies. What is their reply?
P. KAMMENOS: I will tell you that over the last period we had also facts which took place and regarded not only the Greek air space or Greek assets, but they regarded NATO’s assets as well. There were cases in which the reports were made by commanders of allied ships about dangerous conduct of Turkey and violation of international regulations. The frequent visits in Eastern Aegean Sea of Defence Minister of allied governments give them the possibility to form their own opinion about these challenging actions. Overflights at low altitude, overflight in general, violations of a national air space, breaches, entry into Greek territorial waters are recorded and they created an absolutely clear opinion among the alliance about Turkey’s policy. And I think that this helps in making the Greek positions that we have had over years, much more understood. The violations and breached did not start recently. They are a phenomenon which we have been seeing over the last years. The alliance may see it themselves now.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, in times of tension, over the recent past, I remember that a red line is usually activated between Greece and Turkey between the Defence Ministers, mainly between the Chiefs of National Defence General Staffs. I remember that your recent predecessors had used it in days of tension or certain occurrences. Have you also used the “red line” with your Turkish counterpart and if not, why?
P. KAMMENOS: At first, I wish to say that there is a communication, mostly between the Chiefs with their counterparts. Recently there has been communication of the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff and the Chief of HNDGS, there has also been a meeting. At a political level, the other side is informed. I would likt to tell you that we had a recent conversation with NATO Secretary General after the letter which was sent from the Foreign Ministry, I informed him and yet I stressed that such behaviours can easily lead to an accident because you may realize that a violation of the national air space which results into an air battle, at the speed that it takes place, with the means that are used, it may also result in a dangerous accident above the Aegean Sea. We, of course, will not stop defending our country’s national sovereignty, nor will we resign from our rights to defend it, as provided for by the military regulations.
It is now clear that Turkey ought to stop these provocative behaviours which may lead to a new tension. So the Greek side, very carefully, ensuring the sovereignty rights, deals with these challenges, but also asks for this kind of action to stop immediately.
JOURNALIST: Who do you usually speak with from the other side about these matters?
P. KAMMENOS: I speak with the Turkish Minister before NATO Defence Ministers because you realize that calling the Turkish Minister and speak by phone will not help in anything. However, before NATO Defence Minister and before NATO Secretary General, I have spoken repeatedly and I will do it again, as I did also in the Ministerial Councils of the European Union. Do not forget that after the 2008 decision following the agreement on the migration, in the Greek borders, the Greek territorial waters, the Greek air space is also considered European air space. So, there is not only a violation of the Greek territorial waters, of the Greek air space, but of the European air space and European territorial waters as well.
So, here, it is better if this sort of interferences take place in front of the allies. I do not believe that a personal conversation would help, which, besides, is already conducted by the Foreign Ministry that is also the competent service for these matters.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, the word “accident” that you used while referring to the interceptions could also be interpreted differentely? Can an accident happen on the Aegean? What I mean is that is it possible for a use of weapons to take place during an engagement? Is this a warning to Ankara?
P. KAMMENOS: There is a certain planning provided for. If you wish, the Chief of the Air Force could gladly explain it. There are certain procedures to be followed. We do not reach the use of weapons.”
C. VAITSIS (CHIEF OF HAFGS): If you allow me to “interpret” what Mr. Minister stated, answering to Mr. Sideris, I do not think that there has been a form of threat that we will use weapons if they enter. By accident we mean, as Mr. Minister stated before, that in such a small space for air operations there are many aircraft together – usually they fly in with six or eight aircraft and two aircraft of ours equal ten – making engagement and various manoeuvres. There is always the risk of an air accident, as it may happen not only in the engagements over the Aegean, but in everyday training of every air force in the world. This is, I think, a permanent risk, especially when you are not aware. On training we know, we have certain engagement rules; we have certain flight levels for every formation. When, however, we do not know where the Turkish aircraft will move, it is, definitely, much more dangerous to engage with them and the possibility of the occurrence of an accident always exists.
