The Minister of National Defence Dimitris Avramopoulos’ visit to Egypt is completed.
Mr. Avramopoulos had talks in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart, General Sedky Sobhy, and he was also received by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Adly Mansour.
Mr. Avramopoulos had a meeting with the candidate for President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, former Minister of Defence and Chief of the Armed Forces, Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
During the talks he had with Egyptian officials, the Egyptian side engaged, as far as its intention is concerned, to proceed to the creation of an Egypt that will be open to the world and respectful to the rule of law. Furthermore, the issues of terrorism and illegal immigration, which create instability in the region, were also touched.
Mr. Avramopoulos expressed to Mr. Mansour his reassurance on the supportive stance held by Greece towards Egypt and the Egyptian people, and he conveyed to him the regards and the respect of the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias and of the Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
Mr Avramopoulos also attended a dinner hosted to the honour of the Minister of National Defence by the Greek Community of Cairo.
The Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis.
After his meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, the Minister of National Defence stated, among others:
“I am here at a period when a great effort takes place, one I am sure that will lead Egypt to a new era. An era of progress, growth, prosperity for the Egyptian people, but also of essential contribution to the formation of an environment of stability, security and peace for the tormented area of the Middle East. (…)
Greece is a peaceful country and it exercises a peaceful policy. It is member of the great European family and the Atlantic alliance; an agent for security and stability in the broader region of South-Eastern Europe and East Mediterranean. This is a role we would like to share with Egypt. It is the role that corresponds to your big and beautiful country during these times.
We should mutually work and cooperate so as to face all kinds of threats towards our democratic institutions, our cultural and financial conquests. (…)
There was a time when defence cooperation was established in order to deter common threats and common enemies. Yet nowadays, such cooperation is established for noble and peaceful goals. Because, as Mr. Minister said earlier, Egypt’s ambition is to play a stable, stabilizing and peaceful role in this region, thus contributing to the resolution of persistent problems. (…)
It is also what Greece claims. In this arc of instability which extends from Ukraine to Tunisia, our country emerges as a potent stabilizing agent for the broader area. For this reason, the message we convey today with our decision to deepen or relations and cooperate further, inaugurating a new chapter in our bilateral relations, is above all a message of peace and contribution”.
After the completion of his visit in Egypt, the Minister of National Defence made the following statement:
“I made a very brief in time, yet very important and useful visit for our country and its strategic interests in the region, visit to Cairo.
I met with my counterpart Defence Minister, the President of the Republic and I also had a private meeting with the Commander-in-chief Al Sisi, candidate in the oncoming presidential elections in Egypt, with all those who play a leading role in Egypt’s efforts to exit the crisis during the last years.
We observe attentively the changes that take place towards this direction.
We salute the carrying out of the presidential elections in May, which will decisively contribute to the country’s political stabilisation, with free political will of the Egyptian people, to the benefit of stability, peace, security and prosperity in our region”.