Mitsotaki-Tsipras summit clash over Greece-US defense agreement: Andreas Papandreou and Turkish F-16s

by

of Penelope Galliou

Top collision between Kyriakou Mitsotaki and his Alexis Tsipras The discussion and voting by the Greek Parliament of the Greek-US defense agreement sparked, after the refusal of the SYRIZA president to vote in favor of the agreement, which had significantly begun to be drawn up during his rule, as the prime minister said and revealed by the former US Ambassador Jeffrey Payat.

An attitude that led the Prime Minister to personally accuse Alexis Tsipras of hypocrisy, recalling what former US Ambassador Jeffrey Payat said about the defense agreement and SYRIZA: “I am surprised. Because I have said in the past why this renaissance of relations began during SYRIZA. The four parts of the agreement are parts identified by SYRIZA. We started operating Larissa, Stefanovikeio and Alexandroupolis. But I know from conversations with Mr Tsipras and Mr Kammenos that they understand the relationship and share those commitments. “I would like to emphasize to SYRIZA that these are conditions that go hand in hand with the agreements with other allies,” Mr. Payat had revealed about the stance of the government of Alexis Tsipras.

“You ruled for 4.5 years, there is recorded material that shows how you perceived relations with the United States. “How from the marches at the American embassy, ​​did you then embrace the relationship”, the prime minister said characteristically addressing the leader of the official opposition.

The “no”

The Prime Minister expressed his regret that the official opposition chooses to be a national exception as he said and said “I am afraid that again the official opposition chooses to be a national exception, he says ‘no’ again in a development that upgrades the country and strengthens our armed forces. “I’m sorry you say ‘no’ again, as you said ‘no’ to strengthening our air force with Rafale, ‘no’ to defense spending, which you are voting against, as you have rejected the major intergovernmental agreements that promote peace and stability,” he said. and added: “Do not add Mr. Tsipras to the gray list of your mistakes one more with national consequences”.

It was preceded by the reference of Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the phrase of the American writer Mark Twain, that “patriotism is to constantly support your country and its government when it deserves it” emphasizing the key importance of the Greece-US agreement for our country.

“The agreement with the United States serves our national interests in many ways. It completes a large network of alliances that upgrades the position of our country. The text that we are called to ratify today is formally one of the many renewals of the defense cooperation with the USA “, he said while he tried even at the last moment shortly before the agreement was voted to convince the SYRIZA leadership to change its position.

“The foreign policy of the country cannot be divided. The patriotism of responsibility requires maturity and above all requires national self-confidence and these are the ones that will be tested shortly in the vote we will have. I therefore call on you to ratify the Greece-United States defense agreement, to prove in practice that we have this maturity. And this confidence that the place needs so much today “, he concluded.

Satellite of the country

A call that was again rejected by the president of SYRIZA, accusing the government of a dangerous shift and change in the country’s foreign policy since the restoration of democracy.

“You are abandoning the fixed positions of the country in relation to its role and strategy, the role of the pillar of stability and diplomacy in the critical region of the Mediterranean. “You are abandoning the moderate and careful role that Greece has traditionally played, both within NATO and in relation to American plans,” he stressed.

On the occasion of the vote on the agreement, Alexis Tsipras stressed that a negotiating “paper” of Greece, which is the annual renewal of the defense agreement, is being rejected, while addressing the prime minister, he told him that “you become the first leader of the coup who agrees to utilization of 6 Greek military installations from the USA and secondly you concede the port of Alexandroupolis “. He spoke in support of the US Alliance for Democracy, but said that maintaining some independence was not the answer.

Do what you did when you were in government

“I’m not asking you for something difficult: It’s very easy, to do exactly what you did when you were in government. Every time you are in opposition you are transformed for the worse. “Speak the language of patriotism so that you are not accused of being nationally misspelled,” the prime minister countered Alexis Tsipras’ objections. He even called on the leader of SYRIZA to answer whether he will terminate the agreement or not if he rules.

Like Andreas Papandreou

Looking back, Kyriakos Mitsotakis likened the attitude of Alexis Tsipras towards the Greek-American agreement to the attitude of Andreas Papandreou towards NATO, “you reminded me a lot of Andreas Papandreou who was elected promising to” go out of his bases “in 1983 to sign their stay for 5 years “remarked the prime minister ..

The controversy over F16

The two leaders also “clashed” over a Wall Street Journal report on Joe Bainen’s request to Congress to upgrade Turkish F-16 fighter jets with missiles and electronic systems, with Alexis Tsipras calling on the prime minister to negotiate or prove that it is a lie, during his trip to Washington and the Prime Minister to remind that in 2017 during his trip to America, Alexis Tsipras had not made any reference to the F35 that was then negotiated by Turkey. Regarding the article, Kyriakos Mitsotakis reminded that the Congress has so far refused to discuss in any way the sale of weapons systems to Turkey, precisely because they do not consider Turkey a reliable partner.

“Turkey is asking the US to buy 40 F16s and modernize another 80. That is, it demands a drastic change in the air force balance in the Aegean,” said Alexis Tsipras, adding that “not only is this request not rejected by the US, but “President Biden accepts it and sends it to Congress, just hours before you vote on the indefinite concession of Alexandroupolis and other facilities and before you fly to Washington.” Following these, the president of SYRIZA called on the government to suspend not voting on the defense agreement with the US, but after going to Washington and negotiating the issue with the Turkish F16 or after proving that the leaks are a lie, to vote for it later.

“In ’17, Turkey had entered the F35 program as a co-producer. “When you went to Washington, Turkey would have bought 100. You had not made a single mention of the F35,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis replied, adding: “What did you do in Washington, Mr. Tsipras?” For Souda, “everyone knows that it has geostrategic importance. It can and must be upgraded. ” This is what you did, every year, because you renewed the agreement every year. Why did you renew it? You went to Washington doing a useful asshole. You have established a good communication with the USA “he said and noted” you are coming here and you are making fun of us. “The language of patriotism is a foreign language for you, Mr. Tsipras.”

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