Greece affirms interest in procuring F-35 fighter jets from the US

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Jan 2024 10:01
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As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepares for his visit to Athens on Saturday, Greece expresses its intention to request the purchase of advanced F-35 fighter jets from the United States.

A United States Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II takes part in an aerial display during the Singapore Airshow 2022 at Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore, February 15, 2022. (AP)

Greece is interested in acquiring advanced F-35 fighter jets from the United States, the country's foreign minister said on Saturday.

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis expressed appreciation for Greece's relations with Turkey in an interview with SKAI broadcaster. However, he emphasized the need to enhance the country's military capabilities by procuring F-35 fighter jets from the United States, referring to the US as a significant player in the region and a "superpower."

Gerapetritis commended the quality of relations with the United States in recent years, emphasizing a principled approach to international policy rather than transactional politics. He stated that the US, being a "superpower", recognizes Greece as a "credible regional player".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Athens on Saturday evening, with indications from Greece's Foreign Minister that Greece will once again make a request for the acquisition of the F-35, an all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft, despite a previous lack of response from Washington.

“They (F-35) would significantly upgrade the country's defense. We will discuss this issue (during Blinken’s visit). I believe there will be positive developments,” Greece's foreign minister said.

Relations with Turkey 'outstanding'

In response to inquiries about the status of relations with Turkey, Gerapetritis stated that they are outstanding and grounded in mutual understanding between the two NATO allies.

“I want to emphasize that it is very important that we have now reached a level of discussion and understanding so that we can manage tensions without causing crises,” he said.

Gerapetritis specified that the improvement in bilateral relations is bringing positive outcomes from the Greek perspective, extending beyond addressing irregular migration and human trafficking concerns.

Additionally, the minister emphasized that Athens plans to elevate the matter of maritime border delineation with Turkey to an international court, such as The International Court of Justice in The Hague or the Special Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg.

“At this stage, we have not discussed this issue. It is an issue that will come up in the future. What we have said is that we are going step by step. We are never going to take leaps,” he added.

Greece aggravating tensions in region: Turkish Defense Minister

Earlier this month, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar accused Greece of continuing provocative actions aimed at escalating tensions in the region.

On December 30, Akar warned Greece about serious consequences if it arms islands in the Aegean Sea and extends its territorial waters.

According to media reports, Greece's maritime boundaries could double to 12 miles off Crete. However, Turkey said it would not allow Greece's waters to expand by even one mile into the Aegean Sea.

"Although we extend a hand of peace, Greece insists on continuing its provocative actions and statements that constantly increase tensions," Akar said, as quoted by the TRT Haber broadcaster.

In the same context, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned, on December 29, Athens against expanding its territorial waters in the Aegean Sea. Cavusoglu went on to recall how this was a casus belli - an act justifying war - for Turkey, adding that Ankara's 1995 decision on the issue was unambiguous and was still in force.

The big picture

Turkey believes that if Greece extends its territorial waters, which are now six miles, to 12 miles, it would practically cut off Turkish waters and deprive Turkey of access to international waters, effectively trapping it in its territorial waters.

In several instances since 2020, Ankara and Athens have been head-to-head and faced the risk of armed conflict over territorial claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Greek-Turkish divide in Cyprus, and the delimitation of maritime borders.

Greece and Turkey have been at odds for years over maritime borders and energy exploration rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean seas. Erdogan accused Greece of "occupying" the Aegean islands, whose status was determined by treaties signed following World War I. Simultaneously, Athens accused Turkey of carrying out hundreds of illegal military sorties over the islands.