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There is also the issue of compensations on which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working. It seems only logical for Greece to claim access to a direct picture in order to cope with illegal immigration. But this is no easy decision. Military sources said to To Vima newspaper that the drone technology might be acquired or Greece will have its drones, or keep some of those that will be stationed upon the termination of the agreement. There are some concerns whether the Americans will agree to station drones in Greece over such a short period or if they will aim at constant presence.

Washington’s Plans for the Mediterranean

The request of Washington about the drones is not a stand-alone initiative but part of a wider Mediterranean strategy. It corresponds with the words of Barak Obama at the West Point Military Academy on the future demonstration of American power. He emphasised avoiding land conflicts and the use of drones and the special forces of the Pentagon and CIA. The term used in the US to describe the new geostrategic situation is the “New Normal”.

The new American strategy is related to the conflicts in North Africa and the Middle East ignited by the new ‘decentralised form’ of Islamic terrorism in the post-Al Qaeda era and the conflict with Russia because of Ukraine. The latter prompts the US desire to curb the Russian presence in the Mediterranean Sea.

Besides the stationing of drones, the USA requested Greece as well as the rest of the countries in Southern Europe – Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Turkey, to present their opinions on coping with the new threats in the region in an attempt to establish long-term stability.

The American ideas on the mutual understanding in the countries of the South NATO wing were first expressed by the Pentagon in a non-paper circulated last December (To Vima newspaper has it). This was the reason for the meeting in Stuttgart on July 17 with participants from the defence ministries of these countries where ideas on various subjects were discussed: terrorism, immigration, foreign Muslim Jihadists. 

The results of the meeting will be presented at the NATO summit meeting in Wales this September. The USA will request support for their participation in the Middle East conflict for sharing expenses or the defence of diplomatic missions. Actually, according to what the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for European and NATO Policy, James Townsend said to the Ambassador of Greece in Washington, Christos Panagopoulos the US is contemplating the idea of establishing regular naval forces in the Mediterranean.

Great importance is also attributed to the strategic and stabilizing role of Cyprus in the American projects for enhancing defence cooperation.

The Importance of the Visit of Avramopoulos

On August 21, Dimitris Avramopoulos will visit the Pentagon. The Minister of National Defence will meet his American colleague Jack Hagel.

The subject of drone dislocation will not be the only one but it will be at the top of the agenda. According to Jame Townsend, the US expects to have from Avramopoulos the Greek assessment of the events in the south-eastern Mediterranean, the ratio of forces, as well as recommendations on the role and potential contribution of Greece.