The General Director of National Defence Policy and International Relations of the Ministry of National Defence, Dr. Konstantinos Balomenos, held a courtesy meeting on Wednesday 07 September 2022, at the Ministry of National Defence, with the outgoing Israeli Defence Attaché in Greece, Colonel Yosef PINTO, and his replacement Colonel Tal WOLLENBERG.

During the meeting, issues of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen the defence cooperation between Greece and Israel were discussed. Also, as part of the debate on current security threats and challenges, Dr. Balomenos briefed his interlocutors on regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In particular, he pointed out Turkey’s continued escalating actions and its neo-Ottoman narrative, which act as a destabilising security factor in the wider region.

In addition, the next steps for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, signed on 05 July 2022, between the Ministry of National Defence and the corresponding Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Israel, were examined.

Finally, Dr. Balomenos congratulated Colonel Yosef PINTO on his important contribution to deepening the Military Cooperation between Greece and Israel, and in particular to the successful conclusion of the preparatory discussions for the signing of the above Memorandum of Understanding, while wishing the new Attaché, Colonel Tal WOLLENBERG, every success in his duties.