We are here today in Crete, in Chania, along with Deputy Minister of Defense Nikos Hardalias, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), General K. Floros, Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff (HAFGS), and the US Ambassador, Mr. Tsunis, to send a clear message.
The message is that the United States and the Hellenic Republic stand shoulder-to shoulder against revisionism, against anything that threatens the national sovereignty, the territorial integrity of states. They stand shoulder-to shoulder in the name of protecting International Law, relying on the excellent equipment that you see around us, but especially on the exceptional personnel of the Hellenic and the U.S. Air Forces that have cooperated in several important exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean in recent days.
I reiterate that this is an exercise that demonstrates our resolve to safeguard the values of democracy, stability, security and territorial integrity.
Thank you very much.
JOURNALIST: Minister, as you were speaking, there was a Turkish overflight over Zourafa. Do you have any comments on that?
N. DENDIAS: If I commented on any provocation made by Turkey, I would talk all day long. But it’s quite typical. It demonstrates that Turkey does not in any way understand the signals of our times.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic