WASHINGTON, March 24, 2017 — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos at the Pentagon today to discuss security and defense issues of mutual concern, Pentagon Spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis said in a statement following the meeting.

Pentagon Spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis provided the following readout:

 

Secretary Jim Mattis met today with Greece’s Minister of Defense Panos Kammenos at the Pentagon to discuss security and defense issues of mutual concern, including trans-Mediterranean migration; terrorism; and instability in the Balkans, Northern Africa, and the Middle East.

 

Secretary Mattis thanked Greece for being one of five NATO allies that invests two percent of its GDP on defense, and expressed his appreciation to Minister Kammenos for hosting U.S. forces at Souda Bay, Crete. He also noted Greece’s participation in NATO’s Aegean Activity and Kosovo Force and Greece’s strategic support in the counter-terrorism and extremism fight.

 

The secretary and Minister Kammenos agreed that security along NATO’s southern flank is of great importance to the entire alliance. Finally, Secretary Mattis congratulated the minister and the people of Greece on their 196th anniversary of independence, which is celebrated tomorrow. The two leaders look forward to continued future engagement.

Remarks by Secretary Mattis and Minister Kammenos at the Pentagon

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS:  Minister, it’s good to have you here.  Minister Kammenos, I’ll just tell you ambassador, your delegation, you’re always welcome in the Pentagon.  

It’s a pleasure to host you here, and your leadership in keeping your armed forces well equipped and ready and well funded, we appreciate that kind of leadership here as you know.  And certainly you mentioned Souda Bay here while we were getting our picture taken, key Naval facility that we share with you.  We’re grateful for hosting us when we need to be in there, maybe some need to expand it a little bit.  We’ll certainly look at that, but the largest deep water port in the Mediterranean, we’re very, very fortunate, it’s in the hands of capable NATO nation for the southern flank.

I also have to take note right now in front of the media, of your support, whether it be the frigates that you put into the Aegean operations there, your support in Kosovo.  You know people say we can’t stop wars, we can’t stop fighting in this world, but we proved we can, in Kosovo, a reminder that when the international community doesn’t turn its back on a problem, we can stop it.  

We can maintain stability, but it does take effort, and your continued effort there has paid off for all of Europe and a reminder to the international community when working together, we can actually achieve something good.

I think two years — we are looking at support for additional operating locations and we’re wide open on this.  We do see challenges to NATO and from our perspective, Russia and what they have done is something we have to confront, but there is a clear and present danger on the southern flank, which puts Greece as a front line nation in dealing with terrorism.  And that terrorism which we have observed most recently in London, but it’s a constant pressure on Greece, on Italy, on France, on Spain.  Coming across from the unsettled regions where terrorists are on the march.  We’ve got to stick together.  

The unity of the NATO alliance is absolutely critical to maintain the security for all the nations in Europe.  And so again, I would just say that relationships don’t ever stay the same in this world, they either get better or they decline.  And I am committed to an improving relationship from the already good relationship we have between our two nations, two democracies, yours starts a little bit before ours does — (inaudible).  

But we’re very proud — and also happy Independence Day to Hellenic delegations.  It’s good to be — have you here on your Independence Day minister.  Again welcome.

MINISTER OF DEFENSE PANOS KAMMENOS:  Thank you very much, Secretary Mattis.  (Inaudible) – pleasure to see you again after Brussels.  And the Munich security conference last month.  (Inaudible) today’s meeting, a very important day for us, Independence Day.  And I think that is the beginning of an even closer cooperation.  I have a very good cooperation with Ambassador – (inaudible) — and in Greece, your military, as I said and — (inaudible) – the military office.

I really think is very — (inaudible) — we really strong bond between our two countries.  We have achieved a longstanding strategic partnership based on mutual trust and respect.  The Greek government is determined to farther — (inaudible).

In this respect, we examine favorably the United States request to expand the creation of our mutual defense cooperation agreement from one to five years or more — (inaudible).  I am confident that the outcome of our deliberation will be very positive and mutually beneficial.

I — (inaudible) – pleased that the chief of our armed forces are working closely together incorporate — (inaudible).  In the aftermath of our discussion in NATO headquarters last month about the alliance adaption to the new security challenges, I believe that the East Mediterranean is currently one of the most sensitive areas in the world.  To name some of the challenges; the mass immigration, the terrorism, Daesh, Syria, Libya now, failing and — and — (inaudible) — the large quantities of firearms and the munitions — (inaudible) — forces.

All of them said Greece is the center of — (inaudible).  Also, in some particular Balkan States, Bosnia, — (inaudible) — Albania, Kosovo — (inaudible) – who return from the front of Syria with significant war experience, constant potential threat against the security not only in Balkans, but in Europe as well.

To improve the — in the past week, the successful offload of the 10 combat brigades through the port of Thessaloniki.  The first time in 20 years — (inaudible) — forces.  Greece is ready to cooperate with United States in the whole area of the Mediterranean.  We believe that we have to stop the terrorists — (inaudible).

In this very sensitive maritime area between Greek and — (inaudible) — Cyprus and Malta.  And there, as member of NATO European Union, but also as part of the Middle East, we are ready to extend the cooperation with — (inaudible) — Jordan, United Emirates.  We have close cooperation and we are ready also to join all the strategic point of the United States coalition.

We — we — Greek people know that in difficult moments, the real ally was always United States.  After the Marshall Plan of the Second World War, we have built our economy, we have built our armed forces.  Now, after a very big foreign crisis, be sure that Greece is ready to establish in close cooperating with Israel and with the countries of Balkans, as Bulgaria and Romania of the north and in south of Cyprus and Jordan and Egypt establish a — (inaudible).

We thank you very much also about all the help of the United States about the — (inaudible) — for the Chinook helicopters, last offers of your part.  And be sure that all of these forces — (inaudible) — ready to work for NATO, for the alliance and for national security.

Thank you very much.

SEC. MATTIS:  Again, minister, all you, you’re very welcome here.  

And press, thank you very much.