“We have had an exceptional meeting with the US Defence Secretary . We discussed all matters pertaining to our bilateral cooperation, NATO and the initiatives Greece may assume in the wider Mediterranean basin along with third countries , the establishment of a stability shield in cooperation with the south – Israel, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates – and the north –  Bulgaria and Romania.  

We thoroughly discussed the issue of illegal migration and the need to activate the NATO SNMG2 agreement in the Aegean, as well as the expansion of extremism and terrorism in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and the need to specifically monitor the sources of the illegal funding of terrorism and how Greece may deliver.  

I extended an invitation to the US Defence Secretary to visit Greece, stressing the fact that it has been 27 years since a US Defence Secretary has visited our country. He kindly accepted my invitation and , as a matter of fact,  he shook my hand. I told him that it would be an honour for us if he visited Souda Bay.

We also discussed about Souda Bay, its expansion capabilities and its significance to the Alliance.

We touched upon armaments matters, we explained the financial status of the country and we asked the USA to present a plan, so that Greece may get equipped without further burdening its budget.  I think that we are making progress on that.  

I believe that a new day is dawning in the Greek-American relations as far as defence is concerned”.

QUESTION : How does the new US administration realize the role of Greece in the region?
P.KAMMENOS : I am extremely pleased because although with the former administration the POTUS himself had helped, and  they had a more globalised  mentality, the present Trump administration is realizing its role as a nation-state, as well as the particularity of states with history and special ties  to forge cooperations.  

They know well  that the close and historical cooperation of Greece with Israel and simultaneously our capability to speak the same “language” with the countries of the Arab peninsula will facilitate our task to work for peace and democracy not only for us but for the wider region.   

The same applies to the Balkans. It is true that Greece has the ability to speak as a NATO and EU member state, but also as part of what we call the Greeks of the East” .

QUESTION: Mr. Minister did you discuss the matter of Turkish provocativeness in the Aegean?  

P.KAMMENOS : This is old news. The presence of SNMG2 and the US forces in the wider region demonstrate that they are quite familiar with the Turkish provocativeness.

QUESTION: Was there a comment on that?

P.KAMMENOS: What we agreed upon is that we should secure the peace in the region and avoid the creation of more fronts. We already have some open fronts in Libya and Syria. We need to be wise and not allow the emergence of unnecessary matters.  

QUESTION : In your joint press conference you briefly mentioned a few things about the financial challenges, was there further elaboration on the matter behind the cameras?  

P.KAMMENOS : No. We thoroughly explained the financial situation and since the Secretary himself congratulated Greece on keeping up within the 2%  of the NATO budget, I stressed that we are doing our best although we are being pressurized by the creditors and the Ministers of Finance. This matter needs be handled by the Governments.  

QUESTION : Did they suggest that security needs to be enhanced as far as refugee flows are concerned?

P.KAMMENOS :  We discussed the activation of SNMG2. They know that Greece is doing its best and is providing all it can. Greece is paying the price for that.  

QUESTION: Was anything else on the negotiations table?

P.KAMMENOS : No, that was all. Thank you”.