Greece's new armaments program overturns the geopolitical situation in the region and creates a new balance of power, as it will form a strong deterrent in response to Turkey's revisionist strategy, which challenges international law, sovereignty and sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus, said the retired Lieutenant General, Andreas Pentaras, when asked about the importance of the arrival in Greece today of six Rafale fighter jets, in the framework of the defense agreement Greece – France.
“This is a historic day not only for Greece but for Hellenism in general, including of course Cyprus. “This is because the implementation of a giant armament program of Greece, worth about 12 billion euros, has begun, with the completion of which the Greek armed forces will be reinforced with state-of-the-art means in the army, navy and air force, and will be modernized,” he said. Five.
He added that Cyprus is included in this effort, because the ties between Greece and Cyprus are known. “Especially in the military sector, there are agreements between Cyprus and Greece and with the new weapons systems that Greece acquires, due to the possibilities they have, they can operate in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Cyprus is located, and defend territorial integrity. “the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus,” he said.
Mr. Pentaras noted that with this new armament program of Greece, the geopolitical data in the region as we know it today will be overturned with the exercise by Turkey of a revising policy for the abolition of the Treaties, for the Blue Homeland, for rights in its EEZ Republic of Cyprus, for demilitarization of the Aegean islands, etc. “I am sure of this strategy and you will see that it will be overturned,” he said.
SEE ALSO: In the Greek sky the Rafale – The message of the pilot
He said that the purpose of the armed forces is to prevent, that is, through force to prevent the enemy from attempting anything. And that is the purpose of this giant armament program of Greece, he noted.
He pointed out that “Turkey is doing everything it can based on its military power, especially in the navy and air force”, to note that “Greece with this armament program will substantially question Turkey's power both at sea and in the air, “It will have complete air sovereignty but also naval supremacy, with the result that Turkey will be prevented from attempting what it is doing to this day in the Aegean, and especially from us here in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
Asked if a new balance of power is being created, Mr. Pentaras replied: “Of course. With the completion of the armament program, Greece will have what we call in military terminology air dominance over the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, given that Rafale aircraft have a range of 4,000 kilometers and have weapons systems with a range of up to 500 kilometers in the air. and on land “.
Consequently, he noted, “Greece will have an armament both at sea and in the air, and this will force Turkey to respect international law but also to enter into talks to resolve the problem it has with Greece, which is the separation of the continental shelf. . “I believe and hope and wish that this happens with Cyprus and that it finally sits down at the negotiating table for a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem,” he added.
Mr. Pentaras also said that the defense agreement that Greece has signed with France means that an attack against one means an attack against the other. “And in this context, this deterrent capacity of Greece is created. It's not just weapons systems. It is the foreign policy, it is the alliances that Greece has with other states, it is the internal political situation and many other things. “But the main thing is the armed forces,” he added.
He also noted that there is a very close cooperation of Cyprus with France in the defense sector, stating that about 70% of the weapons systems that the National Guard has come from France.
He added that “joint activities with France in the field of defense enhance staff training, tactics, etc.”
ΚΥΠΕ
