The Greek Defence
Minister, Yiannos Papantoniou, speaking at a joint news conference with his
Greek Cypriot counterpart, Kyriacos Mavronicolas, yesterday (September 29),
stated that within the framework of the Joint Defence Doctrine rearmament and
cooperation between the two countries would continue.
Papantoniou, who was in South Cyprus to
attend celebrations marking the establishment of the so-called “Cyprus
Republic”, said, with all her strength, Greece has been providing
comprehensive and continuous military support to the Greek Cypriot
administration.
Responding to a question asked, the Greek
Defence Minister stated that Greek-Greek Cypriot airspace would be further
strengthened with new weapons systems and this included the purchase of 70 new
F-16 war planes.
Papantoniou also explained that cooperation
between the two countries’ armed forces was very substantial and effective
and with the implementation of the Greek-Greek Cypriot Joint Defence Space
many activities had been carried out between the two countries during the last
two years.
