ArmInfo. Armenia and Greece are successfully implementing the agreements reached in Athens in 2016 between the defense departments of the two countries. On March 29, at the joint press conference with the Minister of Defense of Greece Panos Kammenos, the head of the Armenian Defense Ministry Vigen Sargsyan stated in Yerevan.
According to him, Kammenos's official visit to Armenia is a good opportunity to sum up the results of the implementation of the agreements reached in Athens in December 2016 and outline new directions for cooperation. The Armenian Minister is also convinced that the visit is also a good opportunity to get acquainted with the successes achieved by Armenia in the field of military industry on the fields of the International Exhibition of Arms and Defense Technologies ArmHiTec-2018. "The agreement reached in 2016 is successfully implemented. We are expanding our military cooperation from year to year, and full implementation of the planned events will help strengthen the brilliant traditions that have developed between Armenia and Greece in terms of interaction," Sargsyan said.
He noted that at the meeting the common approach of the two countries on issues of regional and international security was confirmed. "We touched upon the military-political processes taking place in neighboring countries and the possibilities for implementing joint steps," Sargsyan said.
The Armenian minister added that about 170 Armenian officers received education in the best Greek military educational institutions and today hold high positions in different structures of the Defense Ministry and provide reliable protection of the country.
Speaking about the prospects for expanding defense cooperation, Sargsyan noted that the annual bilateral cooperation programs from year to year are not only expanding, but also being carried out with high efficiency. According to him, in general, cooperation in the defense sphere includes the entire complex of training and training potential existing between the two states. The Minister noted that the two states cooperate in such areas as military medicine, the training of special forces, personnel management, the exchange of experience in the field of management, and as new areas of interaction included the exchange of experience in the field of cybersecurity and planning exercises for the air force. According to him, military-technical cooperation is also proceeding successfully and there are prospects for the successful implementation of mutually beneficial projects. The Armenian Minister expressed his belief that the visit by Mr. Kammenos to the defense exhibition in Yerevan and familiarization with the products of the Armenian military-industrial complex will give a new impetus to bilateral cooperation in the defense sphere.
"We also discussed our problems with neighboring Turkey, and both stressed the unacceptability of the policy of this state to conduct a dialogue in the language of preconditions or threats. I also spoke about the reasons for the cancellation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols signed in 2009," the minister said.
Kammenos noted that he was impressed by the exhibition held in Yerevan. According to him, this event is already becoming a good tradition on the international arms arena. "We are two peoples with a common destiny, survived the genocide and continue to have problems with the same neighbors and allies. Armenia and Greece are facing common challenges. And we need an approach to confront them. However, I am convinced that the security of our countries is provided by our Armed Forces, which are highly trained," concluded the Greek minister.