The General Director of the General Directorate of National Defence Policy and International Relations (GDNDPIR) of the Ministry of National Defence (MoD) Dr. Konstantinos Balomenos, as part of the activities of the GDNDPIR to strengthen bilateral defence relations between Greece and Portugal, held a working meeting with his Portuguese counterpart General Nuno Lemos Pires.
The meeting took place on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, in Lisbon, at the official invitation of the Portuguese Director for Defence Policy.
The main focus of the meeting was the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral defence relations between Greece and Portugal and the evaluation of the geostrategic security environment in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, as shaped by the latest developments in Ukraine’s war and Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
In particular, the General Director of the GDNDPIR, Dr. Konstantinos Balomenos and his Portuguese counterpart Mr. Nuno Lemos Pires had the opportunity to exchange views on:
• The impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the wider geopolitical environment and, in particular, on European Defence and Security. In conclusion, the two General Directors for Defence Policy agreed that Ukraine should be supported until its final victory, as Russia’s possible victory would mean a change of paradigm in international relations (degradation of international law, prevalence of the law of the strong, etc.) with multiple implications for global security and peace.
• The role of terrorism as a means of hybrid warfare against the stability of a state.
• The security situation in the Western Balkans (Kosovo and Bosnia & Herzegovina) and the role of the two countries in the stabilisation process of the wider region.
• The security situation in the Middle East and North Africa (Sahel, Horn of Africa, etc.), with a particular focus on Mozambique. More specifically, General Nuno Lemos Pires provided information on the EU military training mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique), led by Portugal.
• The deepening of bilateral defence relations between Greece and Portugal as well as the strengthening of their cooperation within the framework of NATO and the EU. More particularly, the joint participation and active engagement of the two countries in the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and DIANA programmes, within the framework of the EU and NATO, as well as educational initiatives, were examined.
During the working meeting, both Dr. Balomenos as well as General Pires agreed that NATO should focus not only on Eastern Europe and Russia’s threat, but also on the southern flank of the Alliance, because significant threats are identified there, such as illegal immigration, hybrid threats and terrorism, and as a result, NATO’s strong presence is required also in this region.
In relation to the consolidation of peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean, the General Director of the GDNDPIR, Dr. Balomenos highlighted Greece’s role as a pillar of stability and peace through the promotion of Defence Diplomacy and its constructive regional cooperation – on the basis of international law, existing treaties and legitimacy – with all its neighbouring countries.
At the end of the bilateral talks, the two Directors for Defence Policy acknowledging the excellent level of defence cooperation between Greece and Portugal, agreed on a common framework of action at both military and political levels, aiming at highlighting the geopolitical role of the two countries in the wider region of Europe and the Mediterranean.
