The Minister of National Defence Evangelos Apostolakis met, on Wednesday 27 March, with representatives of the Greek expatriates in New York.

The Minister underlined the role of the Greek expatriates in the USA who constitute a bridge of friendship and communication with the American people, while he particularly stressed the essential role they play in the promotion of national positions.

Mr Apostolakis also participated, as the central guest, in a round table discussion hosted by the “American Jewish Committee”.

During his statements the Minister of National Defence:

• Noted the enduring and outstanding relations between Greece and the USA and Israel, which are certified by the current Greece-US Strategic Dialogue as well as by the constantly improving defence cooperation with Israel.

• He expressed Greece’s wish to further extend and enhance the defence cooperation with the USA and Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean.

• He analysed the complex security environment in the wider region of Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East, a fact imposing the development of international defence cooperations for the effective enhancement of stability.

• He underlined the fulfillment of the obligations of Greece arising from its participation in NATO, EU and UN as well as the simultaneous materealisation by the Greek side of a wide network of defence diplomacy activities.

• He stressed the tactics of violations by Turkey in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, which are dealt with composure and decisiveness by the Hellenic Armed Forces. He also mentioned the recent meeting with his Turkish counterpart during which it was agreed to restart the process of Confidence Building Measures and the joint activity for decreasing tension between the two countries.

• Finally he mentioned the tripartite summit between Greece, Cyprus and Israel with the participation of the US Secretary of Defence, which certifies the volition for securing stability and security in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean.