Athens bolsters Gulf air defenses

Athens is taking steps to assistance the equipped forces of the United Arab Emirates by supplying ammunition to strengthen their anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic rocket capabilities, pursuing a ceremonial petition from Abu Dhabi invoking a bilateral practice statement connected overseas argumentation and defence signed successful 2020.

The assistance to the UAE follows a abstracted transfer of materials to Qatar, aboard a Qatari transport aircraft, coordinated with American forces astatine Al Udeid Air Base. In some cases, the assistance is exclusively defensive, intended to support captious infrastructure successful Gulf states.

The 2020 statement includes a communal defence assistance clause – little binding than a akin pact Greece has signed with France, but notable for its precise language. Article 1, Paragraph 2 states that should a menace originate against the security, sovereignty, unity oregon independency of either Greece oregon the UAE, the parties shall instantly pass connected each aspects of that menace successful bid to take enactment and measures which the parties jointly see indispensable to deter that threat.

Athens regards its committedness arsenic peculiarly strong, some due to the fact that of the treaty and due to the fact that of tangible support the UAE has antecedently provided to Greece – supplying components, spare parts and ammunition for Hellenic Navy units and Apache onslaught helicopters.

The statement was ratified by the Greek Parliament successful autumn 2020, pursuing discussions betwixt Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, amid tensions pursuing the Oruc Reis situation with Turkey. The two leaders besides spoke by telephone connected Tuesday.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias traveled to Abu Dhabi connected Tuesday, where helium was received by the UAE president and met with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohamed bin Mubarak bin Fadhel Al Mazrouei. A planned stop successful Saudi Arabia proved unfeasible.

The existent situation differs sharply from 2020: The UAE is present engaged successful progressive equipped conflict. Greek Patriot launchers under the Hellenic Force Saudi Arabia ngo person helped support refineries adjacent the Red Sea larboard of Yanbu.

Perhaps the astir important magnitude of Greece’s assistance is the awesome it sends: that Athens honors the agreements it signs – a opposition to Turkey, which has reportedly been targeted by Iranian missiles connected astatine slightest 4 known occasions.