Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian in Athens on Friday where they discussed strengthening the bilateral relations with the focus on security and economy in the framework of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, the Greek Prime Minister’s office said on Friday.
“Pathways on strengthening the bilateral relations on multiple levels with the focus on security and economy in the framework of Greece-France Strategic Partnership Agreement were discussed”, the statement read.
Le Drian is currently in Greece taking part in the quadrilateral meeting in the format of 3+1 with Egypt and Cyprus as other counterparts to discuss regional and international issues.
During the meeting, Mitsotakis noted that Strategic Partnership Agreement took the bilateral relations of two states to a historically high level.
Moreover, during the meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, both parties criticized European states supplying arms to states threatening other countries with force.
According to Dendias, Greece would like other European states to follow the French lead in not supplying hostile states with weapons, threatening other countries (especially EU) with force and destabilizing the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Dendias noted that while Greece receives defense weaponry from France, it contributes to regional security, and the Greece-France Strategic Partnership Agreement does not threaten any state and is not directed against specific states.
On September 28, Greece and France signed a bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreement. Under the agreement, Greece purchased three French Belharra frigates with the option to buy one more in the future. In addition, Greece and France agreed that Greece will buy 24 French Rafale fighter jets.
Earlier as EurAsian Times reported, France delivered the first Rafale fighter to Greece under a deal signed earlier this year. The handover ceremony took place at the Dassault Flight Test Center in the Istres commune in southern France.
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The Rafale will provide the HAF with the latest-generation multirole fighter, enabling the Hellenic Republic to ensure its geostrategic stance in full sovereignty. The delivery of the first Rafale is a clear demonstration of France’s determination to meet the government of the Hellenic Republic expectations and to participate actively to the sovereignty of the country, the Press Kit from Dassault read.
“Following the Mirage F1 in 1974, the Mirage 2000 in 1985 and the Mirage 2000-5 in 2000, the Rafale is now proudly flying with the Hellenic Air Force colors. The Rafale is a Strategic Game-Changer for the HAF. It will play an active role by securing Greece’s leadership as a major regional power. I would like to reaffirm our total commitment to the success of the Rafale in Greece,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
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In January, France signed a deal with Greece for eighteen French-made Rafale fighters, including twelve used aircraft and six new. The first six used aircraft were set to begin arriving in Greece six months after the contract was signed. The total cost of the squadron of 18 aircraft is 1.92 billion euros ($2.26 billion).
“Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, today a contract for the sale of 12 Rafale aircraft with Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces. These aircraft will replace the 12 Rafales of the French Air and Space Force (FASF) sold to the Hellenic Air Force [Greek military air forces],” the company’s statement read in January.
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