The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, after the completion of the Informal Meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Cyprus, made the following statements:

 “The informal EU Defence Ministers’ meeting held here in Cyprus included various issues of direct or indirect interest for Greece.

For example we had the chance, during our discussion on the progress at Arab countries and the Mediterranean basin, to express our worries on the new illegal immigration flows that will come from the Arabic countries towards Europe, in combination to the developments in Syria. We asked for the further enhancement of “FRONTEX”, in financial as well as in military means, so as to be able to face this great problem.

Moreover, we had essential interventions in other matters also discussed, for example in military and other EU-led operations at the Horn of Africa. We have raised the great issue of World Merchant Marine where, as we all know, Greece has immense interests. There, we have asked for EU missions to be continued and to have soon additional and more essential results.

On the sidelines of the Informal Meeting of EU Defence Ministers, held here in Cyprus, I had the chance to have brief yet very interesting meetings at bilateral level with my colleagues from Europe, such as with the French, the German, the Belgian, the Italian, the Irish, the Bulgarian Minister of Defence, and we promised to renew our meetings, to renew our date for the NATO Meeting to be held in a few days, but also for the next political meeting to be held in Brussels on November 19.

Finally, I would like to underline that Greece and France have asked to register in the minutes of the Informal Meeting of EU Defence Ministers and express our regret for the fact that there was no representation for NATO Secretary General”.