The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos met today with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the State of Israel Mr. Ehud Barak at the Ministry of Defence, during the second day of his visit in Israel.

During their meeting, which took place in a very friendly environment, they discussed matters of the two Ministries’ pertinence, as well as broader issues of common interest for Greece and Israel.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos, after the official welcome and honours ceremony by the Guard of Honour of the Ministry of National Defence of Israel, held a private meeting with Mr. Ehud Barak.

The Minister of Defence of Israel Mr. Ehud Barak, welcoming the Greek Minister of National Defence, stated the following:

“It is a great pleasure to welcome the Greek Minister of National Defence Panos Panagiotopoulos in his new role. We had met for the first time when he was Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the “Nea Demokratia” party and I was Minister of Foreign Affairs. Now we are both Ministers of National Defence.

We look forward to deepening and strengthening the excellent relationships between the two Ministries of Defence as well as between our peoples.

Mister minister, I sincerely welcome you here in Israel and wish you a fruitful visit, hoping that it will be the first of a series of visits which will tajke place here as well as in Athens. Welcome.

Thank you very much”.

After their meeting, the Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos made the following statement.

“I would like to thank the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the State of Israel Mr. Ehud Barak for the productive, essential and very constructive cooperation we had with him and with his colleagues.

Our discussions covered areas of both our pertinence; that is defence issues as well as broader matters of this area of common interest for Greece and Israel and the question of hydrocarbons.

The promotion of defence cooperation between the two countries is a fact. We form the committees of special and service apposite agents, so as to proceed to the cooperation in the field of defence industry. Soon a, intergovernmental meeting will take place, G2G, headed by the two Prime Ministers, where of course the outcomes of the cooperation in our field and in other fields as well will be obvious.

I will be leaving the Ministry of Defence of Israel feeling very pleased”.