Athens wants a US military presence in Greece, and in particular in the north of the country, because it serves the national interest, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias told lawmakers on Tuesday.
“We did not do the US any favors. We are generous towards the interests of the country. We have wanted this for five whole years, and I will not hide the fact that the government considered this issue 10 years ago. We want a foreign military presence. We did not pretend to be those who want the bases to disappear … We wanted and still want to be present [США] in Thrace… We want a US military presence in Alexandroupolis,” he said, describing the use of the northern Greek port by the US military as “one of the most important elements of the agreement,” quotes statement by Nikos Dendias pro-government edition of Kathimerini.
PS Some strange speech. Don’t you have the feeling that Dendias is saying a mantra? And who are we? After all, a few years ago, polls showed that the majority of the Greek population was against American bases. But the shaking of the situation with Turkey, primarily from Greece, military hysteria and the population’s conviction that “the United States is our last hope” changed the minds of the electorate. They also allowed the government to make massive purchases of weapons, which laid a new heavy burden on the already undermined economy of the country.
More Stories
The Greek Parliament lifted parliamentary immunity from K. Velopoulos – he will be tried in an ordinary court
“Spartans”: there is one less parliamentary party in the European elections because… “they like it that way”
Greek diplomats defending LGBT rights