Greek defence minister demands France explain sale of missiles to Turkey
The Greek defence minister, Nikos Dendias, has urged French ambassador Laurence Auer to explain a French consortium's reported plans to sell missiles to Turkey.
In a post shared on X, Dendias requested "an official update about the sale of Meteor missiles to Turkey by a consortium in which France participates". He added that the deal would run counter to "the excellent strategic relations" shared by the two countries.
Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated "he had no information" regarding the potential sale of missiles to Turkey, in an interview on Alpha TV Wednesday evening.
In September 2021, France and Greece signed the Franco-Greek defence agreement, which includes a mutual defence clause in case either party is attacked by a third country. The text also advises both countries to consult on decisions affecting their security interests 'wherever possible'.
Since January 2021, Greece has purchased a total of 24 Rafale jets produced by the French company Dassault Aviation, as well as receiving French frigates.
The Meteor missile programme was developed by a consortium of European partners led by French manufacturer MBDA. The military initiative was created in order to meet the needs of six European nations: the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.
According to MBDA's website, the Meteor has a "ramjet motor" which allows it to "thrust all the way to target intercept". This provides the "largest No Escape Zone of any air-to-air missile system, several times greater than current medium-range air-to-air missiles, with a "fragmentation warhead [that] ensures maximum lethality".
Greece and Turkey may be NATO allies, but they have a long history of tensions and flare-ups, and the potential sale of Meteor missiles to Turkey could spark concerns around an altered regional military balance.
During a meeting with Mitsotakis in May last year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated there were 'no unsolvable problems' with Greece. But in a speech given in mid-December, Greece's Defence Minister Nikos Dendias announced Turkey was "gradually expanding its list of demands against our homeland".
'While dialogue with Turkey is necessary, it must always involve rejecting the unacceptable aspects of Turkey's positions, such as the casus belli threat", he said.
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