The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, met in Doha-Qatar with the Crown Prince of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
During their meeting, which was held at a very friendly tone, the two men discussed matters of military and defence cooperation, issues concerning investments in defence industry, but also broader matters relating to the Greek-Qatari relations and the general developments in the Middle East and the South-Eastern Mediterranean.
Earlier, Mr. Panagiotopoulos held a meeting with the Chief of the Qatari Armed Forces, General Hamad bin Ali al Attiyah.
After his meeting with the Crown Prince of Qatar, Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following statement:
“I had a very interesting meeting and discussion with the Crown Prince of Qatar. Our discussion included issues concerning defence and military cooperation between the two countries, as well as broader issues touching the relations between the two counties.
The outcome was that both sides are decided to move on faster to the course of defence and military cooperation, at the level of Navy and the Air Force, as well as at the level of cooperation and mutual exercises of Land Army Special Forces.
Moreover, the interest of the Qatari side emerges for a series of privatisations prepared by the Hellenic Government as far as the Hellenic Defence Industry is concerned. As for the rest, Qatar is open to immediately making investments in Greece.
They will be waiting for the Prime Minister’s Mr. Antonis Samaras official visit here in the first month of 2013 and they believe that until then, the conditions will be ready for them to proceed to certain proposals for particular investment plans in our country.
I believe that a broader frame is expanding for Greece; it is very important that certain activity will bring investments to our country and will ameliorate the relations between the two peoples”.
The Minister’s of Defence official visit to Qatar, which is taking place following an invitation extended by the Crown Prince, will continue with his tour to bases of the Qatari Armed Forces and with briefings on matters of defence cooperation between the two countries in all fields.
