Greece to boost military cooperation with Russia

Greece plans to enhance its military, technical and regional security cooperation with Russia, Deputy Defense Minister Kostas Isichos told Russian news website Sputnik in an interview on Tuesday.

The minister said that Athens would benefit from increased technical support and advice on the use of Russian-made arms.

     "Then also enhancing our relationship not only in the strictly military sense, but also in the peace and cooperation we need to have in the Middle East in the Aegean, in the region which is already very volatile and very dangerous around us," Isichos was quoted as saying, mentioning conflicts in Ukraine, in the Middle East and terrorist activities closer to home.

He also claimed that better relations with Russia and other members of the BRICS alliance will help Greece play a bigger role in international affairs. BRICS comprises five of the world's biggest developing economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

     "We do have an important role to play within a multipolar world which must be viewed as a multipolar world of stability and not of instability," the defense official said.

The Russian-Greek Joint Interministerial Committee, which focuses on economic, technological, scientific and industrial cooperation, is expected to convene in 2015.

Source: Sputnik