“Greece is not dragged by anyone… Greece makes choices with a long-term perspective which serve the Greeks’ national interests. The cooperation with Israel is such a perspective and choice. It is not one-dimensioned, nor single-sided. It serves the Government’s multi-dimensioned policy for the broader region of the Middle East. It is related to military cooperation with Arab countries like Egypt, which has a leading role in the Arab and Muslim world…”

That was, among others, what the Minister of National Defence Panos Panagiotopoulos underlined while replying today at the Hellenic Parliament to a topical question made by the MP for the town of Serres and member of the “Chrysi Avgi” (Golden Dawn) party Mr. Artemis Matthaiopoulos, concerning the conduct of a mutual exercise within the Athens FIR, between the Hellenic and the Israeli Air Force.

At other points during his speech, the Minister of National Defence underlined the following:

• What characterises Greece currently is not the country’s difficult financial and fiscal situation. Other countries have also had fiscal problems and surmounted them.

What traditionally characterises Greece, besides culture, history, language and tradition, is that we are a key-country for security issues in the broader area.

We have a great geostrategic and geopolitical position and, thank to the sacrifices made by the Greek people and the Armed Forces personnel, we have great military force. Our country is among the most important agents at the international and regional security system for the maintenance of peace and stability.

• The strategic alliance with Israel is our choice and under no circumstances does it call off the close relations of friendship and cooperation with the Arab countries.

I have excellent personal relations and an open communication line with supreme actors of the Arab world, such as the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence of Egypt, AL SISI. The same is happening with other countries of the Middle East.

• As far as the EOZ is concerned, the Government does not stand away, not even by an inch, from the commitments the current Prime Minister Antonis Samaras made during his election campaign concerning this matter”.