Greek Foreign Ministry Nikos Dendias and US State Secretary Antony Blinken signed the five-year upgraded renewal of the Mutual Defense and Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) between Greece and USA on Thursday.
The two ministers signed the MDCA in a special ceremony at the Benjamin Franklin diplomatic reception room in the Harry S. Truman Federal Building, at the headquarters of the Department of State.
The five-year renewal will allow Washington to invest in Greece strategically and geopolitically, said Greek diplomatic sources.
Είχα τη χαρά και την τιμή να υπογράψω την Τροποποίηση της Αμυντικής Συμφωνίας της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας με τις ΗΠΑ. Μια Συμφωνία που κατοχυρώνει τα ελληνικά συμφέροντα και δημιουργεί μια ασπίδα προστασίας της χώρας μας. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/x1nmjQHDxy
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) October 14, 2021
Outlining the multitudinous aspects of the relationship between Greece and the United States, Denidas posted on his Twitter account that the modification of the Agreement secures the Greek interests and creates a protection shield for our country.
At his opening remaks, he said that “Greece is committed to resolve disputes with diplomacy and always in accordance to international law.
He pointed out, however, the fact that Greece “faces daily provocation and is threatened with war” if it exercises its sovereign rights.
Dendias also spoke of the strong ties Greece has developed with other countries in the region, including Israel and the United Arab Emirates and noted the importance of West Balkan integration.
“We believe that together, Greece and the United States, can become an even more powerful force for peace, prosperity, and human dignity,” said Blinken, reaffirming the commitment of the US to deepen the partnership between the two countries.
“This dialogue is an example of how close the friendship is between our countries and how much we value each other.” He described Greece as “a pillar of stability in the region” and expressed his gratitude to Greece for being a strong and reliable ally.
The MDCA will boost defense cooperation between the two countries, including further investment in the four bases operated by the US military in Greece.
The Greek government plans to submit the new deal to Parliament for ratification next week, as the time frame is relatively tight, with the current agreement expiring on November 6.
This is great news.
I wonder if Erdogan is aware that even Russia prefers Orthodox Greece over Islamic Turkey.
Turkey is traditionally a Russian foe where at least Russia was allied with the West during World War Two.
Perhaps the West should cut Turkey loose form NATO and let the Russians who usually polarize with their old foe sort it out, without Russia fearing NATO or America’s backing that Turkey hides behind.
Turkey should leave NATO before this destructive, wasteful, purposeless organization finally collapses. The future is with Asia, and only the US and the EU hasn’t realized it yet.
The intolerable provocations by this regional menace have finally exhausted the international community’s immortal patience.
How can this bellicose dictator defiantly purchase military power from Russia, the very reason NATO exists. How can he seek to illegally expand militarily and territorially with Ottoman aspirations during this day and age? How can so many have done so little for so long?
These pirates threatened to wage war in 1995 if Greece extended its borders to the internationally lawful limit. They were enabled by the their illegal invasion and illegal occupation of Cyprus in 1974. No more, now that these defense pacts are in place.
This embezzling sultan can not avoid accountability any more by deflecting with armed conflict after already humiliated at sea or at the border (not that this dictator’s propaganda through his closed media allow for exposing such failures to the people). And this was by Greece alone, let alone now with France and America.
Ergdogan digs himself deeper and loses greater with each provocation now and is increasingly restricted in what he can do. We have learned from dictators like him 70 years ago.
Talk-talk-talk, so much happy talk.
During the same breath, Greece was praised for maintaining its tolerance, diplomacy, and dialogue with such an intolerably provocative neighbor reminding me of equal distancing.
This praise of tolerance, diplomacy, and dialogue reminds me of Obama praising Greece for its sacrifices and living up to its commitments (amid a totally senseless and punishing austerity according to economists when Germany never repaid its stolen loans from Greece for those who respect law or commitments).
Fear and appeasement to threats has become fashionable. Even America’s Republican party, out of fear and appeasement oust their most honorable to value their twice impeached immoral leader.
Is appeasement by fear the new standard from which China and Russia will humiliate, to timidly cat and mouse, to be rammed or chased out of their seas?
What have the gallant Greeks taught in defiance of death, lest we forget so often!
Some one has to take a much firmer stand, international law is over four decades overdue in Cyprus and that is not getting any better either. Anymore than Turkeys opposition unlawfully seeking Greek islands now, if anyone expects change for the better with a new administration.
All this talk talk talk, happy talk and no where have I yet to read precisely why the US rejected using the centrally located island of Skyros under a better example to expand than simply increase existing installations! Is it out the same fear of offending that they have not closed Incirlik yet?
Talk is cheap, when will they finally treat Cyprus like they did Kuwait after so many decades of scolding or talk? Or, should they timidly serve the sultan some tea and ask how high to jump next time he threatens to attack American troops in Syria or protester in America.
Things do not get better without affirmative action under strong leadership when doing the right thing with gods blessing, this is how we have evolved to this great state through mass cooperation. Not out of fear and appeasement as a means of self preservation but a common moral compass under which mans laws are written. God bless America!