“The meeting I had with my friend, Defence Secretary of the United States of America, Mr. Chuck Hagel was concluded a short while ago. I remind you that it was my third bilateral visit to Washington, to the Pentagon, during my two tenures in the Ministry of National Defence.
We had the opportunity, together with my American counterpart, to confirm once more the truly excellent level of the Hellenic-American defence cooperation. Today we moved forward and we basically completed determining issues which regard the roadmap of the U.S. defence cooperation with our country, finding solutions for pending issues.
Above all, however, we discussed about crucial geopolitical issues of our region, about the geostrategic role of Greece as an islet of stability and security in the wider region, as well as about the role that Greece may assume in the name of international legitimacy.
We agreed that today, more than ever, the defence cooperation between the USA and Greece has a geostrategic and essential significance. We will have the opportunity to discuss again about these issues at a multilateral level within NATO in Wales early September.
Greece beyond and above the financial crisis, which we gradually leave behind us, rises again as a significant pillar of stability in a region which has crossed the threshold of the most critical period in its recent history. The Greek government gives everyday a struggle to overcome the crisis and open a hopeful perspective for the entire Greek people and our country.”