https://sputnikglobe.com/20211023/former-greek-foreign-minister-criticizes-signing-of-defence-agreements-with-france-us-1090153953.html
Former Greek Foreign Minister Criticizes Signing of Defence Agreements With France, US
Former Greek Foreign Minister Criticizes Signing of Defence Agreements With France, US
Sputnik International
ATHENS (Sputnik) - Greece's signing of the defence agreements with France and the United States could potentially draw the country into conflict with Russia... 23.10.2021, Sputnik International
2021-10-23T11:07+0000
2021-10-23T11:07+0000
2021-10-23T11:07+0000
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The former minister called the recent signings of the US-Greece Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) and the France-Greece Defence and Security Agreement an "unconditional surrender" and stressed that Greece must have a multidimensional foreign policy that plays a mediating role between the West and East.According to the diplomat, Athens signed the MDCA with the belief that the US was ready to support Greece in the standoff with Ankara, by treating Turkey as their "common enemy," while Washington's priorities lay elsewhere.He stressed that questions arise whether the open-ended agreement and transfer of Greek territories to the US could be a means to provoke Russia and break off relations with China.While referring to the France-Greece agreement, the former foreign minister noted that it would have been best if it was limited by the interests of France and Greece like the maritime zones and the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Greek-Cypriots.Kotzias served as Greece's foreign minister from 2015 to 2018 and is now the leader of the PRATTO political movement.
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Former Greek Foreign Minister Criticizes Signing of Defence Agreements With France, US
ATHENS (Sputnik) - Greece's signing of the defence agreements with France and the United States could potentially draw the country into conflict with Russia, China and the Arab world, former Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias said in an interview with newspaper Nea Egnatia published Saturday.
The former minister called the recent signings of the US-Greece Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) and the France-Greece Defence and Security Agreement an "unconditional surrender" and stressed that Greece must have a multidimensional foreign policy that plays a mediating role between the West and East.
"[Greece] must hold an independent multi-dimensional foreign policy and be a mediator when the West and East are in conflict; to act as an arbiter... When you act as an arbiter and negotiate on behalf of others, when you promote your requests, everyone will listen to you," Kotzias said as quoted by the newspaper.
According to the diplomat, Athens signed the MDCA with the belief that the US was ready to support Greece in the standoff with Ankara, by treating Turkey as their "common enemy," while Washington's priorities lay elsewhere.
"The question is, who is the enemy? Are the Americans creating bases to strike the Turks alongside [Greece], or to prevent Turkey from inflicting insidious blows? ... No, they mean Russia," Kotzias said.
He stressed that questions arise whether the open-ended agreement and transfer of Greek territories to the US could be a means to provoke Russia and break off relations with China.
While referring to the
France-Greece agreement, the former foreign minister noted that it would have been best if it was limited by the interests of France and Greece like the maritime zones and the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Greek-Cypriots.
Kotzias served as Greece's foreign minister from 2015 to 2018 and is now the leader of the PRATTO political movement.
