In reply to the Question and the Application to Submit Documents, presented by the members of the Parliament, Mr. Vassilios Kikilias and Mr. Anastassios Dimoshakis, regarding the “Sale of Missiles of the Hellenic Army and Sale of Air Bombs of the Hellenic Air Force to Saudi Arabia through Interstate Agreement”, please be informed on the following, in accordance with the data provided to me:
First, I am really happy for the presentation of the specific question, because all I have alleged many times publicly in the Parliament is finally proven, meaning that your opposition policy is defined – if not dictated – by specific press offices, the publications of which have nothing to do with reality, include a lot of inaccuracies, while in most cases serve purposes other than information.
Furthermore, it is my obligation to remind you that the agreement with Saudi Arabia is an interstate one and it was approved, along with the provisions of its terms, by the New Democracy Party as well, in the competent committee of the Parliament. The reasons for entering into the said agreement were detailed in the meeting of the competent Committee of the Hellenic Parliament, where all the questions of the parliamentary parties were answered. Therefore, there is no political liability since you are aware that there is absolutely no intermediary, as you claim in your question, but, still, it is not forbidden in interstate agreements, if the other side wishes, to appoint its representative and also it is not forbidden that he is recognized by us, if it is ascertained that he possesses the respective authorization.
In the present case, no agreement was signed with an intermediary. The agreement was signed with a legally authorized representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The authenticity of the provided authorization was confirmed by the General Directorate of Defence Investments & Armaments, through our diplomatic authorities, with an additional letter from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCE, which referred to the authorization initially issued. After signing the contract, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had to open an irrevocable credit at a bank (it was provided with an IBAN), within 10 days, an act which until today is not completed. The MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCE has repeatedly reminded this issue, through the General Directorate of Defence Investments & Armaments. For the same reason, on the 3rd of November 2017, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was invited to my office. Therefore, until today, no ammunition have been delivered, since this would demand the deposit of an irrevocable credit.
In relation to your third question, there is no such an issue and therefore I will not commend on arbitrary ascertainments of third parties, conveyed through the present procedure.
Regarding the general Army Officer and the senior Air Force Officer, it was estimated that they acted beyond their area of responsibility, thus violating confidentiality for the said Interstate Agreement, despite the clear and explicit order from the chain of command.
In relation to the specific issue, there was no offensive behavior and the procedures provided in the institutional framework of the Armed Forces were kept.
I would also like to inform you that the General Officer was not suspended, but rather transferred from the General Directorate of Defence Investments & Armaments, in which he had been appointed.
Finally, please find attached the following documents:
● Interstate Agreement between the Government of the Hellenic Republic and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, regarding the sale of “300,000 CARTRIDGES M1 105 MM” (Index-1).
● Kingdom of Saudi Arabia representation certificates by Mr. V.P., as follows:
(a) V.P.’s representation certifying document, dated 4 May 2016, on behalf of the Air Force of Saudi Arabia (Index-2).
(b) The Defence Attaché’s document of the Hellenic Embassy, dated 4 Sep. 2016, to the UAE, responsible for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well, regarding the confirmation of the aforementioned Kingdom of Saudi Arabia representation document by Mr. V.P. (Index-3).
(c) The No 237732/4/2/2 outgoing authenticity certificate of the above V.P.’s representation certificate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia /MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCE. (Index-4).
● The document dated 22 June 2017/Protocol No 30789/MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS/D1(permit for defence materiel export to Saudi Arabia) (Index-5).
● The appointment-transfer order of the General Officer. (Index-6).
THE
MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE
PANOS KAMMENOS
