Hardalias: No challenge to our national sovereign rights will go unanswered

Continuing his official visit to Australia, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Nikos Hardalias, today had a series of meetings with ministers and high-ranking officials at the Canberra Parliament.

In particular, he met with the Minister responsible for Veterans Affairs, Matt Keogh, with whom they discussed matters of mutual interest, focusing on the ongoing construction of a memorial site in Lemnos – exclusively funded by Australia – in honor of the men of the Australian military expeditionary force and New Zealand (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – ANZAC), who served on the island.

He then met with Under-Secretary of State for Defence, Veterans Affairs and the Public, Matt Thistlethwaite, with whom they discussed issues of mutual interest.

Then Mr. Hardalias informed the members of the Defense Committee of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade about:

– the ongoing and rapidly increasing Turkish rhetoric, which, “by maintaining an irresponsible and dangerous attitude, has also crossed over into the field, with a record of overflights, violations and violations of the national airspace and territorial waters”.

– the illegal occupation of Cyprus and the instrumentalization of the immigration and refugee issue at the borders of the European Union, “which Turkey shamelessly exploits in order to promote its geopolitical agenda and blackmail Greece, other neighboring countries, as well as international organizations and associations “.

Mr. Hardalias reiterated that Greece is responding by actively protecting its borders and fully respecting fundamental human rights, International Law and the Law of the Sea, through:

– Strengthening its deterrent capabilities, with stronger Armed Forces.

– Diplomacy and the conclusion of agreements, bilaterally and multilaterally.

– Active support in the promotion of European integration, especially in Defense and Foreign Policy.

Referring to defense cooperation in the fields of security and defense, he suggested investigating and examining the possibility of Australia’s participation in joint programs of PESCO and other European organizations.

He further referred to the Ukraine war “with Russia’s blatant aggression, which has disregarded International Law to advance its expansionist agenda, resulting in destabilization of the region, disruption of global stability and security, and the negative consequences of war on economies of states”.

The federal deputies and senators participated in the briefing:

– Shayne Neumann Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense & Trade,

– David Fawcett vice-chairman of the committee,

– Steve Georganas member and chairman of the Transactions & Development committee.

– Luke Gosling, Committee Member,

– Micheal McCormack committee member,

– Maria Vamvakinou Committee Member and Chair of the Committee on Migration,

– Deborah O’Neill Committee Member,

– Peter Khalil committee member.

The Deputy Minister of National Defense also visited:

– The Australian War Museum, where he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, then went to the votive column commemorating the dead in the Battle of Crete Wing and

– The Hellenic-Australian Memorial, where he laid a wreath.

Finally he visited the embassy of Greece in Australia, where he participated in a working dinner hosted by the Greek Orthodox community and the Church of Canberra.

Also present were the ambassador of Greece to Australia, Georgios Papakostas, the Greek Attaché for Defence, colonel Ioannis Fasianos, the president of the Greek Orthodox community & church of Canberra, Ioannis Loukadelis, the president of the Pan-Australian Cypriot Struggle Coordination Committee and the president of the Cypriot community. , Georgia Alexandrou, members of organizations and associations of the diaspora etc.

In his greeting Mr. Hardalias, after praising the offer of the diaspora, pointed out among other things:

“The country is progressing, the country is the protagonist, what all the governments of the last twenty years did not face, our government was called upon to face in these three years, a global pandemic, floods, earthquakes, climate deregulation, everything, there was nothing that we were not called upon to face.

A war very close to us, European that tends to have global ramifications, a huge energy crisis that has signaled and triggered uncontrollable situations, but the country remains standing! The country is running at excellent growth rates, the country is an investment destination for large companies, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and dozens of other giants trust Greece and invest. Unemployment from 17% in the middle of the crisis has fallen to 12%.

We are not happy, we have to reduce it even more, but we are talking about 267,000 new jobs and all this in the midst of all these crises that we are facing.”

At the same time, he repeated that “our Greece is safe, our homeland is strong, it is a protagonist. We do not begrudge, we do not threaten anyone, we seek peace, we seek friendship, the fellowship of all peoples. We are an open embrace to all those people who they want to share the same thoughts, the same principles, the same perspective for the region, for the next day for our children, but we are non-negotiable in matters concerning our homeland and national sovereignty and this is a message that we have sent to everyone, to friends and enemies. We ask for peace, we want to be a pillar of stability but at the same time, committed to International Law and the Law of the Sea, we do not let anyone believe that any challenge to our national sovereign rights will go unanswered.

Our Armed Forces are strong, they are fully prepared, we avoid anything and work so that everything is peaceful, that there is no problem, but in the face of aggressive rhetoric, in the face of anecdotal reports, we will respond with sobriety, with composure but with vigilance. Because what our ancestors bequeathed us require us to be serious, composed and to be ready whenever and if ever we need to do what each of us has sworn.”

Tomorrow Mr. Hardalias will have a meeting with the Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister of the country on matters of mutual interest and then he will go to Adelaide, where he will join the Presidential Guard, which after many years has been participating in the events of the Greek community there , will celebrate our national anniversary.

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