Greek PM: US base will not be set up in the port of Alexandroupolis

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Jan 2023 16:07
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This follows more than a year after the US formed a defense agreement with Greece to receive access to new military bases such as the port of Alexandroupolis and a military camp adjacent to it.

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis (EU Parliament)

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed on Saturday that a US base will not be set up in the Greek port of Alexandroupolis, which comes more than a year after the US formed a defense agreement with Greece to receive access to new military bases such as the port of Alexandroupolis and a military camp adjacent to it.

"No. How the US could use it [the port], is clearly defined in the bilateral defense cooperation agreement," Mitsotakis said in response to a question whether a US base similar to the one set up on the Greek island of Crete will be set up at the port.

He highlighted that it is of strategic importance to both the country and the region, as it serves the potential to become a land corridor to the Black Sea and an alternative to the Bosphorus Strait.

According to media, the port was being used as a route to transfer Western military equipment and weaponry to Ukraine, with Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos expressing last year that it may also be used to deploy troops to Eastern Europe and Ukraine.

Alexandroupolis has witnessed Western, or US specifically, weaponry being transferred through it when Greek media reported that a train with military equipment for US troops went off the rails near a port in the city, which led to protests by locals demanding US withdrawal from the region.

Back in December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Athens assured Moscow that it is aware of its commitment not to transfer the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft systems to other countries.

Lavrov said that current media reports have been suggesting that Greece was preparing to send its S-300 systems to Kiev, noting that Russia is closely monitoring Greece to make sure it remains within its contractual obligations. Russia's ambassador made contact with relevant Greek authorities to remind them of their contract clause, to which "they said they were mindful of that," Lavrov said to Russian news outlet Channel One.