“Today we had the opportunity to observe one of the most extensive exercises ever taking place within NATO and certainly the most extensive exercise ever in Greece, at an alliance level. 1.200 officers, NCOs and soldiers participated as main personnel and approximately 700 individuals as auxiliary personnel.
As the Minister of National Defence of Greece I would like to congratulate all the engaged individuals for the truly excellent conduct of the exercise. I would like to say that I am particularly happy for the Hellenic Armed Forces, which shouldered the greatest part of this exercise. From the 1200 individuals engaged in the main exercise, 950 were cadres of the Hellenic Armed Forces. As you were able to see, we are talking about the deployment of a complete HQ with the capabilities to deal with an operation, including the fields of health, briefing, psychological warfare, planning, air support, communications and information.
Greece, due to its geopolitical position but also due to the general situation at the southern sector of NATO, assumes a great responsibility for the sake of the alliance. At the same time, we see our country playing an increasingly greater geopolitical role. We stand in a region of the Mediterranean which borders with Middle East, the Northern Africa and the Black Sea and particularly due to the increase of terrorist activity we see our country’s role being upgraded at an alliance level. The reasons for this are the Base of Souda and the trained personnel of the Hellenic Armed Forces. This fact is not restricted in the alliance. The conducted training and the testing of the Armed Forces’ cadres’ capabilities is connected to our participation in international missions.
I am at your disposal for any questions”.
Journalist’s question: Mr. Minister in essence we are talking about a hypothetical scenario, which as I understood from the tour conducted earlier, imitates life. At the same time it constitutes an important school and a tool of defence diplomacy. So in what degree can this HQ, set up here, can lead Greece in terms of the way forward for the Armed Forces?
P. Kammenos: This a very important question. Initially I would like to say that what you saw here, the containers and the deployment of the HQ are materials which will remain in Greece. They are materials managed by the Hellenic Armed Forces for allied and national goals. If the need arises the deployment of this HQ can be also conducted for national reasons, with the use of course of different software. It can be conducted in our national territory by the men and women of the Hellenic Armed Forces.
The second point is the importance of the exercise for the students of our academies, officers and NCOs of the three Services, who had the opportunity not only to visit but also participate in this exercise.
The third point is inter-service capabilities. We see that inter-service activities are no longer a theorem which we have to face but something which we apply. You saw that in every room there were cadres of all three Services and of course the cooperation with the friendly and allied countries and the development of relations (personal too) between the cadres of the various countries’ Armed Forces.
You probably noticed, especially you who are news editors of the Ministry of National Defence, that the procedures followed in this HQ are slightly different from our own. However, they are procedures which will help us to respond better to our duties and I can say that the Hellenic Armed Forces are perhaps the only part of the state apparatus which would have been certified, if a certification was ever demanded. This pertains not only to the function but also the procedures used.
I am very proud of the Hellenic Armed Forces and all our cadres. I would like to congratulate the heads but also all the officers, NCOs, conscripts and of course welcome the allied countries which attended the final days of the exercise. I hope they had a good time in Greece and they should know that this cooperation gives us the opportunity to monitor procedures conducted in friendly and allied Armed Forces and be able to adjust to them as soon as possible.
Journalist’s question: Mr. Minister, to your left there is the emblem of the exercise, where among others there is also a Turkish flag. Apparently there must be a Turkish officer here. Would you care to comment on the presence of the President of the Republic of Turkey in Athens?
P. Kammenos:I am glad that the Turkish officers and allies attend this NATO exercise.
