After attending the Antipodes Festival in Melbourne this weekend, Greece’s Deputy Defence Minister, Nikos Hardalias flew to Canberra and on Monday morning met with Australia’s Assistant Defence Minister, Matt Thistlewaite, as well as members of the Joint Standing committee for Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade.
Over a working lunch organised by Federal Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas, the Greek Minister briefed the committee on matters relating to Greece’s Military and Defence, the geopolitics of the Aegean and the East Mediterranean as well as matters relating to Ukraine and NATO.
The two parties also discussed ways to further strengthen their collaboration and explored the possibility of Military exchanges between the two nations.
At the meeting also were Chair of the Committee Shayne Neumann, Solomon MP Luke Gosling, federal member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou, Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Peter Khalil MP, Nationals MP Michael McCormack and Senators David Fawcett and Deb O’Neill.
According to The Greek Herald’s sources there is also a proposed meeting tomorrow with Deputy prime minister of Australia and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles.
Speaking to The Greek Herald Mr Georganas said “it was an honour to arrange the working lunch”.
“This was a valuable opportunity to exchange views and ideas and for our committee to be briefed on Greece’s current role in NATO and the EU,” he said.
“We also discussed the current political and economic environment in Greece and Australia and how we can assist and work together.”
In September, the Federal Member for Adelaide, tabled a notice of motion calling on the Australian Government to support the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
