Greek minister of defence Panos Kammenos caused a stir in Athens, with his seemingly “off-the-cuff” remarks at the US Pentagon this week.
During a meeting with US secretary of defence James Mattis on Thursday, the leader of the junior coalition party called for the creation of US military bases in the cities of Alexandroupoli, Volos and Larissa.
The reason behind this proposal was the expansion of security in the region from both nations and for the US to grow their military presence within the area.
“I want to affirm that Greece considers the United States a strategic partner and ally, the only one I dare to say,” Kammenos said.
“It is very important for Greece that the United States deploy military assets in Greece on a more permanent basis not only in Souda Bay, but also in Larissa, in Volos, in Alexandroupoli.”
A statement from the Pentagon said that the secretary of defence extended his gratitude towards Kammenos and Greece’s support on the US effort in Souda Bay, and also pointed out the country’s dedication towards increasing their defence with a recent two per cent in expenditure and the upgrading of their F-16 fleet by $1.5 million.
“He also thanked the Greek defence minister for his country’s recent actions to combat Russian malign activities in the region, and the two agreed to continue to hold Russia accountable,” read the statement.
However, this initiative by the leader of the far-right ‘Independent Greeks’ party was not very well received in Greece, where it was seen as yet another proof of the gap between the two coalition government parties – particularly since Kammenos’ proposal was tied to his party’s opposition to the Prespes Agreement – engineered by the Tsipras government, which he backs, and on whose Cabinet he serves. He followed up by proposing the creation of a new “Balkan alliance”, ostensible outside NATO boundaries.
Former deputy foreign minister Nikos Xydakis, a leftist SYRIZA MP, said that Kammenos “is damaging the government and the national effort to diplomatically upgrade the country … efforts to rejuvenate the country with a healthy public sector and a production framework that keeps our children here and prevents our homeland from a demographic shrivelling”.
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias tried to downplay the outspoken minister’s comments. “A foreign affairs minister must not talk too much, in order to be heard when he does talk,” he said, in answer to Kammenos’ “alternative plan” for dealing with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM).